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M. 


GENEALCX3Y  COLLECTION 


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ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


3  1833  01239  6237 


■nafaailcon  mora     \ 


-vt       \    .^        ",  a         -t^=^*=       Cpecrm    ,...-*^^^ 

\i  a  iHi  !Ri  ■'■^t'^f?4^^/•■'-\4^^pou 


Dliiiim  paitt* 


iacln 


THE  GENEALOGIES,  TRIBES,  AND  CUSTOMS 


HY-FIACHEACH, 


COMMONLY  CALLED 


O'D  0  W  D  A'S    COUNTRY 


NOW  FIRST  PUBLISHED 

FROM  THE   BOOK   OF   LECAN,   IN   THE   LIBRARY   OF  THE  ROYAX  IRISH  ACADEMY,  AND  FROM  THE 
GENEALOGICAL  MANUSCRIPT  OF  DUALD  MAC  FIRBIS,  IN  THE  LIBRARY  OF  LORD  RODEN ; 

WITH  A  TRANSLATION  AND  NOTES, 

AND  A  MAP  or  HY-FIACHKACH, 


By  JOHN   O'DONOVAN. 


DUBLIN  : 
FOR  THE  IRISH  ARCHiEOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

MDCCCXLIV. 


THIS  COPY  WAS  FEINTED  FOR 

THE    EARL    OF    CAWDOR, 

MEMBER  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


DUBLIN: 

PRINTED  AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS, 

BY  M.  H.  GILL. 


•■ 


IRISH  ARCHiEOLOGICAL  SOCIETY. 

FOUNDED  MDCCCXL. 


I 


1512562 

patron : 
HIS   ROYAL   HIGHNESS    THE   PRINCE   ALBERT. 

^«sili£nt : 
His  Grace  the  Duke  of  Leinster. 

I  Council : 

"y!^  Elected  July  lo,  1844. 

The  Marquis  of  Kildare,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

The  Earl  of  Leitrim,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

The  Viscount  Adare,  M.  P.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

Rev.  Richard  Butler,  A.  B.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

John  Smith  Furlong,  Esq.,  Q.  C,  Treasurer. 

James  Hardiman,  Esq.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

Captain  Larcom,  R.  E.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

James  Mac  Cullagh,  Esq.,  LL.  D.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

George  Petrie,  Esq.,  R.  H.  A.,  V.  P.  R.  I.  A. 

Aquilla  Smith,  M.  D.,  M.  R.  L  A. 

Joseph  Huband  Smith,  Esq.,  A.  M.,  M.  R.  I.  A. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Todd,  D.  D.,  V.  P.  R.  I.  A.,  Secretary. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 


^HE  following  account  of  the  families,  districts,  and 
customs  of  Hy-Fiachracli  is  printed  from  the  Ge- 
nealogical MS.  of  Duald  Mac  Firbis, — the  original 
of  which  is  preserved  in  the  Library  of  the  Earl  of 
Roden,  and  a  good  copy  in  the  Library  of  the 
Eoyal  Irish  Academy.  The  poem  by  Giolla  losa 
MorMac  Firbis,  which  will  be  found,  p.  176,  et  seq.,  is  edited  from 
the  Book  of  Lecan**.  For  a  general  account  of  the  contents  of  Lord 
Roden's  manuscript  the  reader  is  referred  to  a  paper  by  Mr.  Petrie, 
which  was  published  in  the  eighteenth  volume  of  the  Transactions 
of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  and  to  the  Stowe  Catalogue,  vol.  i. 
p.  141,  et  seq.,  where  a  copy  of  the  same  work  is  described  by  Dr. 
0' Conor. 

In  the  account  of  the  families  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race  this  ma- 
nuscript agrees  very  closely  with  the  text  of  the  Book  of  Lecan,  ex- 
cepting that  the  compiler  has  carried  the  pedigrees  of  some  branches 
of  the  O'Dowds  down  to  his  own  time,  and  has  inserted  l^ere  and 
there,  from  other  authorities,  some  genealogical  and  historical  facts 
not  to  be  found  in  the  Book  of  Lecan.  These  additions  have  been 
noticed  in  every  instance  in  the  notes  to  this  volume. 

Of 

^  Fol.  83  to  85 See  page  176,  Note  ^. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  b 


VI 

Of  the  private  history  of  the  compiler  of  this  manuscript  but  little 
is  known.  In  the  title  of  the  work  he  calls  himself  Dubhaltach  Mac 
Fii'bisigh  of  Lecan,  in  the  year  1650 ;  but  though  he  may  have  been 
born  there  about  the  year  1600,  when  Lecan  or  Lacken  was  the  free- 
hold inheritance  of  his  family  in  right  of  their  profession  as  historio- 
graphers of  their  race,  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was  ever  in  posses- 
sion of  the  castle  or  lands  of  the  Mac  Firbises,  who  were  deprived  by 
James  I. ;  nor  does  it  appear  from  the  pedigree,  as  compiled  by  him- 
self, that  he  was  the  head  of  the  family,  for  his  cotemporary  and 
kinsman,  Ferfeasa,  the  son  of  Ciothruadh  Og,  who  was  the  son  of 
Ferfeasa,  who  was  the  son  of  Ciothruadh,  who  built  the  castle  of 
Lecan  in  1560,  would  seem  to  be  of  an  older  branch.  Be  this,  how- 
ever, as  it  may,  we  have  the  direct  evidence  of  an  inquisition  taken 
at  Shgo,  on  the  22nd  of  August,  1625,  that  "  Donnogh  O'Dowde 
was  then  seized  of  the  castle,  towne,  and  quarters  of  Lacken 
M'Firbissy,  and  other  lands  which  he  had  settled  by  deed,  dated 
the  2otli  of  August,  161 7,  to  the  use  of  his  wife  Onora  Ny-Connor, 
for  their  lives,  and  then  to  the  use  of  his  own  right  heirs."  It  is 
quite  clear  that  Donnoghe  O'Dowde  could  not  have  settled  Lacken  in 
this  manner  in  161 7,  if  it  had  been  then"  the  freehold  inheritance  of 
the  family  of  Mac  Firbis.  The  most  that  can  be  believed,  therefore, 
is,  that  the  Mac  Firbises  may  have  farmed  the  townland  of  Lacken, 

or 

^  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Mac  of  O'Dowd  ;  and  O'Dowd  was  transferred, 
Firbis  held  the  townland  of  Lecan  Mac  hither  and  thither,  until  at  last  he  was 
Firbis  in  right  of  his  profession  in  1560,  fixed  in  the  mountains  of  Coolcarney,  in 
when  the  castle  was  built  there,  but  in  the  1656.  That  Mac  Firbis  was  deprived  of 
reign  of  James  I.  a  great  revolution  took  his  inheritance  about  the  year  1608,  very 
place  in  Tireragh ;  William  Chapman,  Esq.  little  doubt  can  be  entertained,  and  that 
received  a  grant  of  Rossleagh,  and  William  O'Dowd  had  then  but  small  means  to  sup- 
May,  Esq.  a  grant  of  Castleconor,  which  port  a  historiographer  can  be  clearly  shown 
had  been  till  then  one  of  the  principal  seats  from  the  Anglo-Irish  records  of  thisperiod. 


Vll 


or  a  part  of  it,  from  Donnogli  O'Dowde  or  his  successor  till  the 
year  1 641,  at  which  period  it  was  forfeited  by  O'Dowd  and  granted  to 
the  family  of  Wood. 

Charles  O'Conor  of  Belanagare  informs  us,  in  a  private  letter, 
published  by  Dr.  Ledwich  in  his  "  Antiquities  of  Ireland,"  second 
edit,  Dublin,  1804,  p.  303,  that  Duald  Mac  Firbis  was  instructed  in 
the  Brehon  laws  by  the  Mac  Egans  of  Ormond,  who  were  hereditary 
Brehons,  and  professors  of  the  old  Irish  laws ;  but  he  does  not  say  whe- 
ther he  had  acquired  any  other  language  besides  the  Irish.  The  Editor, 
however,  has  been  able  to  gather  from  his  works  that  he  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  Latin  and  English,  and  that  he  had  some  knowledge  even 
of  Greek.  It  appears  from  his  account  of  the  Anglo-Norman  and  Welsh 
famihes  of  Ireland,  that  he  had  read  the  works  of  Giraldus  Cambrensis 
and  Holingshed,  and  he  quotes  and  refutes  Yerstegan's  work,  entitled 
"  Restitution  of  Decaied  Intelhgence."  Also  in  his  copy  of  Cormac's 
Glossary,  preserved  in  the  Library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Class 
H.  2,  1 5,  p.  161,  et  seq.,  he  explains  many  Latin  and  Greek  words  in 
the  margin,  always  writing  the  Greek  in  the  original  character :  thus, 
in  a  note  on  the  word  cpmoa,  he  writes  Kpivo),  which  he  explains 
"judico  .1.  bperuigim,"  I  judge;  at  cual  he  writes  KcoXa,  .1.  cuijip 
mapba,  dead  bodies;  opposite  the  word  cayip,  which  is  explained  car- 
ruca  in  the  original,  he  writes  "  carrum  apud  Liv.  et  carruca  Mart,  et 
cartus,  .1.  capji,  caipu,  no  cayibac  caijingio  eich,  ap  a  m-bfo  a  00  no  a 
ceachaip  00  pocaib,"  i.  e.  a  car,  cart,  or  chariot,  drawn  by  horses,  to 
which  there  are  two  or  four  wheels.  Again,  opposite  the  word  polac, 
which  is  derived  in  the  original  from  "  palup,  Grsece,  cz/5^o^mLatine," 
he  writes  in  the  margin  the  correct  Greek  form  of  the  word  "  (pvXaKrj, 
.1.  coirhet),  no  uaipge,"  a  watching,  custody.  From  these  and  many  other 
specimens  of  his  Greek  handwriting,  in  the  same  volume,  it  is  quite 
evident  that  he  had  studied  that  language,  but  where  he  was  taught 
it  we  have  no  means  left  us  to  determine. 

b2  He 


Vlll 


He  commenced  his  genealogical  compilation  in  tlie  College  of  St. 
Nicholas,  at  Galway,  in  the  year  1650,  and  seems  to  have  been  adding 
to  it  and  correcting  and  amending  it  till  the  year  1 664,  when  he  in- 
serted the  curious  entry  about  the  ancient  celebrity  of  the  Hy-Fiach- 
rach  race,  which  will  be  found  at  full  length  in  this  volume,  p.  3 1 6-3  2 1 . 

Of  this  work  and  its  author  the  venerable  Charles  O'Conor,  of 
Belanagare,  writes  the  following  notice  in  his  Preface  to  "  Ogygia 
Vindicated,  pp.  ix,  x :" 

"  DuALD  ]Mac  Firbis  closed  the  Hne  of  tlie  hereditary  antiquaries  oiLecan, 
in  Tirfiacra,  on  the  Moy^  a  family  whose  law  reports  and  historical  collections 
have  derived  great  credit  to  their  country  (many  of  which  lye  now  dispersed  in 
England  and  France).  This  last  of  the  Firhisses  was  unfortunately  murdered 
at  Dunjiin,  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  A.  D.  1670,  and  by  his  death  our  antiquities 
received  an  irreparable  blow.  His  historical,  topographical,  and  genealogical 
collections  (written  by  his  own  hand)  are  now  in  the  possession  of  a  worthy 
nobleman,  the  Earl  of  Roden,  who  added  this  to  the  other  collections  of  Irish 
history  made  by  his  father,  our  late  Lord  Chancellor  Jocelyn.  Of  that  work 
Mac  Firbis  intended  a  second  draught  (as  he  intimates)  with  amendments  and 
corrections,  but  whether  he  executed  his  design  we  cannot  learn.  As  the  work 
stands  it  is  valuable,  by  preserving  the  descents  and  pointing  out  the  posses- 
sions of  our  Irish  families  of  latter  times,  very  accurately  ;  but  it  is  particu- 
larly valuable,  by  rescuing  from  oblivion  the  names  of  districts  and  tribes  in 
Ireland,  antecedently  to  the  second  century  ;  since  which,  the  Scots  have  gra- 
dually imposed  new  names  of  their  own,  as  they  were  enabled,  from  time  to 
time,  to  expel  the  old  Belgic  inhabitants.  It  is  a  most  curious  chart  of  an- 
tient  topography,  and  vastly  preferable  to  that  given  by  the  Alexandrian 
Geographer  Ptolemy,  who  must  know  [have  known]  but  little  of  Ireland, 
wherein  the  Romans  never  made  a  descent. 

"  The  last  years  of  Firbis's  life  were  employed  in  drawing  up  a  glossary  for 
the  explanation  of  our  old  law  terms,  the  great  desideratum  of  the  present  age. 
Of  the  fate  of  this  last  performance  we  know  nothing,  but  we  may  well  suppose 
it  lost,  as  the  author  lived  without  a  single  patron,  in  days  unfavourable  to  the 
arts  of  which  he  was  master." 

In  1666  he  drew  up  an  abstract  of  his  larger  work,  containing 

some 


some  additional  pedigrees ;  of  tliis  abridgement  there  is  a  good  copy 
in  the  Library  of  the  Marquis  of  Drogheda,  and  another  in  the  collec- 
tion of  Messrs.  Hodges  and  Smith,  but  the  Editor  has  never  seen  the 
original.  In  this  tract  Mac  Firbis  mentions  his  having  been  acquainted 
with  Irish  chieftains  who  governed  their  septs  according  to  the  words 
of  Fither  and  the  Royal  Precepts — (Do  leanap  t)o  bpiarjiaib  Piril 
agup  oo'ti  Ueagap^  Piogoa);  and  he  also  speaks  of  several  Irish  Bre- 
hons  then  or  lately  in  existence,  and  of  one  in  particular  who  was  his 
own  relative  and  acquaintance.  He  informs  us  himself,  in  the  Preface 
to  his  larger  genealogical  work,  that  he  wrote  a  copious  Glossary  of  the 
BrehonLaws  (which  is  referred  to  by  O'Conor  in  the  extract  above 
given),  and  an  account  of  Irish  writers,  but  neither  of  these  works  is 
now  known  to  the  Editor,  except  a  fragment  or  rough  draft  of  the  for- 
mer, which  is  preserved  in  the  Library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin.  If 
the  Earl  of  Roden  has  either  of  them  in  his  Library,  his  Lordship 
might  render  an  essential  service  to  Irish  literatiu-e,  by  depositing  it 
in  some  pubhc  Library,  or  permitting  it  to  be  copied,  as  he  has  already 
very  kindly  done  with  respect  to  MacFirbis's  larger  genealogical  work. 
The  Glossary  would  most  undoubtedly  save  the  translator  of  the  old 
Irish  Brehon  laws  much  time  and  labour,  although  w^e  may  hope  that 
their  meaning  is  still  recoverable  by  the  aid  of  the  copious  glosses 
which  accompany  them  in  most  of  the  copies. 

From  Harris's  edition  of  Ware's  Bishops'^  we  learn  that  Mac  Firbis, 

a 

•^  Fithel  was  chief  Brehon  of  Ireland  in  his  son  Cairbre  LifFeachair.  Many  copies 
the  reign  of  Cormac  Mac  Art,  who  became  of  the  Teagasg  Rioghdha  are  still  preserved, 
monarch  of  Ireland  in  the  middle  of  the  and  translated  specimens  of  it  were  pub- 
third  century.  Some  law  tracts  ascribed  lished  by  the  Editor  in  the  Dublin  Penny 
to  him  are  still  extant.  The  Teagasg  Journal,  1832,  1833,  pp.  213,  231. 
Rioghdha^  or  Royal  Precepts,  are  said  to  ^  Archbishops  of  Tuam,  under  John  De 
have  been  written  by  King  Cormac  him-  Burgo,  who  died  1450. 
self,  in  his  old  age,  for  the  instruction  of 


a  short  time  before  his  death,  had  been  employed  by  Sir  James  Ware 
to  collect  and  translate  Irish  documents  for  him.     Harris  writes  : 

"One  John  was  consecrated  about  the  close  of  the  year  1441  (Sir  James 
Ware  declares  he  conld  not  discover  when  he  died,  and  adds,  that  some  called 
him  John  De  Burgo,  but  that  he  could  not  answer  for  the  truth  of  that  name). 
But  both  these  particulars  are  cleared  up,  and  his  immediate  successor  named 
by  Dudley  Firbisse,  an  Amanuensis  whom  Sir  James  Ware  employed  in  his 
house  to  translate  and  collect  for  him  from  the  Irish  MSS.,  one  of  whose  pieces 
begins  thus  : 

"  '  This  translation  beginned  was  by  Dudley  Firbisse,  in  the  House  of  Sir 
James  Ware,  in  Castle-street,  Dubhn,  6th  November-,  1666,' — which  was  twenty- 
four  days  before  the  death  of  the  said  Knight.  The  Annals,  or  Translation, 
which  he  left  behind  him  begin  in  the  year  1443,  and  end  in  1468.  I  suppose 
the  death  of  his  patron  put  a  stop  to  his  further  progress.  Not  knowing  from 
whence  he  translated  these  Annals,  wherever  I  have  occasion  to  quote  them  I 
mention  them  under  the  name  of  Annals  of  Dudley  Firbisse." 

He  also  translated,  during  the  short  time  he  was  employed  by 
Sir  James  Ware,  the  Registry  of  Clonmacnoise,  which  translation  is 
now  preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  No.  LI.  of  the  Clarendon 
collection.  We  learn  from  Charles  O'Conor  of  Belanagare,  in  his 
Preface  to  "  Ogygia  Vindicated,"  p.  viii,  that  he  was  the  Irish  in- 
structor of  Roderic  O'Flaherty,  the  author  of  "  Ogygia"  and  "  Ogygia 
Vindicated,"  and  it  would  appear  from  a  list  of  tracts  of  Brehon  laws 
which  he  furnished  to  Dr.  Lynch,  the  author  of  Cambrensis  Eversus, 
that  he  Avas  intimate  with  that  distinguished  scholar^  but  towards  the 
latter  end  of  his  life  he  seems  to  have  been  in  great  distress,  and  we 
are  informed  by  Charles  O'Conor,  in  the  passage  already  quoted,  that 
he  met  a  tragical  death  at  Dunflin,  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  in  the  year 
1670! 

On  the  fate  and  general  character  of  this  remarkable  man  the 

same 

*  See  Cambrensis  Eversus,  pp.  157,  158,  159. 


XI 


same  writer  speaks  as  follows  in  his  "  Dissertations  on  the  History  of 
Ireland,"  Dublin,  1766,  pp.  124,  125. — (See  also  first  edit,  Dublin, 

1753' P-  ^55)' 

"  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  the  most  eminent  antiquarian  of  the  latter  times,  was 
possessed  of  a  considerable  number  of  the  Brethe  Nimhe.  He  alone  could 
explain  them,  as  he  alone,  without  patronage  or  assistance,  entered  into  the 
depths  of  this  part  of  Scottish  learning,  so  extremely  obscure  to  us  of  the  pre- 
sent age.  When  we  mention  Mac  Firbis  we  are  equally  grieved  and  ashamed ; 
his  neglected  abilities  ignominious  to  his  ungrateful  country !  his  end  tragical ! 
his  loss  irreparable!" 

The  learned  Roderic  O'Flaherty,  the  pupil  of  Mac  Firbis,  thus 
speaks  of  his  learned  tutor,  in  the  Ogygia,  p.  233  : 

"  Scoticis  literis  quinque  accidunt,  in  quorum  singulis  ab  aliarum  gentium 
Uteris  discrepant ;  nimirum,  Nomen,  Ordo,  Numerus,  Character  et  Potestas.  Et 
({Vila,  imperiti  liter  arum  in  chartd,aliave  ulla  materia  ad  memoriam  pingindarum 
harum  rerum  ignarus  incaute  effutiit  Bollandus,  de  materia  aliquid  prsefabor. 
Ea  ante  pergamense  usum  tabula  erant  e  betulla  arbore  complanatae,  quas 
Oraiun  et  Taihhle  Fileadh,  .1.  Tabulas  Philosophicas  dicebant.  Ex  his  aliquas 
inter  antiquitatum  monumenta  apud  se  superfuisse,  ut  et  diversas  characterum 
formulas,  quas  ter  quinquagenas  a  Fenisii  usque  aetate  numero,  et  Ckaobh- 
Ogham,  .i.  virgeos  characteres  nomine  recenset,  non  ita  pridem  ad  me  scripsit 
Dualdus  Firbissius  rei  antiquarise  Hibernorum  unicum,  dum  vixit,  columen,  et 
extinctus,  detrimentum." 

Some  particulars  of  the  history  of  Duald  Mac  Firbis  have  been 
given  in  a  small  periodical  called  "  The  True  Comet,"  and  other  ob- 
scure publications  in  Dublin,  in  which  it  is  stated  that  his  remains 
were  interred  at  the  old  church  of  Kilglass,  near  the  castle  of  Lecan, 
and  that  a  stone  there,  measuring  six  feet  in  length  by  three  in 
width,  exhibits  on  its  head  end,  a  device,  representing  a  chisel,  whicli 
was  probably  intended  as  the  crest  of  the  Mac  Firbis  family,  and 
containing  an  Irish  inscription,  which  states  that  Duald  Mac  Firbis 
died  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age,  and  that  he  had  spent  thirty  years 

of 


xu 


of  his  life  in  the  castle  of  Lecan  compiling  the  History  of  Ireland.  But 
the  Editor  is  sorry  to  be  compelled  to  say,  that  no  such  inscription 
exists,  nor  ever  existed  at  Kilglass.  From  a  recent  examination  of 
Kilsflass  and  an  investio:ation  of  the  local  tradition  connected  with 
Duald  Mac  Firbis,  and  particularly  from  a  copy  of  the  real  inscription 
and  crest  on  the  stone  above  alluded  to,  made  by  Dr.  James  Vippler 
O'Dowda,  it  appears  that  this  stone, — exhibiting  a  chisel,  as  the  coun- 
try people  call  it, — under  which,  they  say,  many  of  the  Mac  Firbises 
lie  interred,  contains  not  an  Irish  inscription,  but  an  English  one,  in 
the  raised  letter,  to  the  memory  of  George  Wood  of  Lacken,  Esq. ;  and 
that  what  the  country  people  take  to  be  a  representation  of  a  naked 
child  holding  a  chisel,  is  the  crest  of  the  family  of  Wood,  namely, 
"  a  naked  savage  with  a  club  resting  on  his  shoulder."  The  inscrip- 
tion is  now  much  defaced,  and  a  great  part  of  it  illegible,  but  there 
never  was  any  reason  for  supposing  it  to  mark  the  tomb  of  the 
Mac  Firbises  except  its  exhibiting  the  name  Lacken. 

The  Editor  has  to  acknowledge  the  great  assistance  he  has  re- 
ceived from  his  friends  in  illustrating  and  editing  the  present  volume. 
He  is  particularly  indebted  to  James  Hardiman,  Esq.,  author  of  the 
History  of  Galway,  and  to  Dr.  James  Vippler  O'Dowda,  the  son  and 
heir  of  the  O'Dowda  of  Bunnyconnellan,  for  the  use  of  many  docu- 
ments indispensably  necessary  to  the  illustration  of  the  pedigrees  of 
the  O'Dowdas  and  other  families  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race  ;  and  he 
has  further  to  acknowledge  his  obligations  to  Dr.  Todd  of  Trinity 
College,  Mr.  Petrie,  and  Mr.  E.  Curry,  for  much  valuable  assistance 
in  translating  and  editing  this  work,  which  has  been  attended  with 
much  delay  and  difficulty,  as  it  relates  to  a  portion  of  Irish  history 
and  topography  hitherto  unexplored. 

J.  O'D. 


^eiNeacach 


seiNeacach  ua  bh-piachi?ach. 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


B  geiHea^ach 


^eiweatach  uabhpiachRach. 


Ol  phiacyiac,  mic  Garac  TTIuijrheaboin,  [.i.  Ui  piacjiac 

TTliiame,   (i  o-raniam-ne  aniu,    1666,)    Ui  Qrhal^aib 

lo|ipui|^,  pip Cbeapa,  Ui  piacyiac  Qione,  t)'d  n-^oipreaji 

M  anoip  Ceneal  ^uaipe,  Ceneal  Qo6a  na  h-Gcc^e,  Coill 

^    Ua  b-piacpac,  maille  le  cipib  eile  nctc  ainmni^ueap 

t)o  lb  phiacpac  aniu]. 

C015 


The  initial  letters  SI  have  been  copied 
from  the  Book  of  Kells,  fol.  97. 

*  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin He  was 

King  of  Connaught,  and  was  raised  to  the 

throne  of  Ireland  in  the  year  358 See 

O'FIaherty's  Ogygia,  Part  III.  c.  79, 

^  These  are  the — This  passage,  enclosed 
in  brackets,  is  taken  from  Duald  Mac 
Firbis's  smaller  Genealogical  compilation, 
made  in  1666,  of  which  a  good  copy 
is  preserved  in  the  Marquis  of  Droghe- 
da's  Library,  and  another  in  the  collec- 
tion of  Messrs.  Hodges  and  Smith,  Dublin. 
His  larger  work  was  commenced  in  the 


college  of  St.  Nicholas,  in  Galway,  in  the 
year  1645. 

"^  Hy-Fiachrach,  of  the  Muaidh,  i.  e.  the 
inhabitants  of  Tir  Fhiachrach,  now  Tire- 
ragh,  on  the  east  side  of  the  River  Moy,  in 
the  county  of  Sligo.  The  reader  is  to  take 
notice  that  piacpach,  which  occurs  so  often 
throughout  this  volume,  is  the  genitive 
form  of  Piacpa,  a  man's  name.  The  River 
Moy  is  famous  in  ancient  Irish  history  (see 
Life  of  St.  Cormac,  by  Colgan),  and  now  re- 
markable for  its  salmon  fishery.  It  is  called 
Moda  by  Adamnan  (Vita  Columba;,  Lib.  i, 
c,  6),    Moadus  by  Giraldus   Cambrensis, 


GENEALOGY  OF  THE  HY-FIACHRACH. 


HE  Eace  of  Fiachea,  Son  of  Eochaidh  Muigh- 
MHEADHom''. — [These  are  the''  Hy-Fiachrach  of  the 
Miiaidh*^  (where  we  are  this  day,  i666),  the  Hy- 
Amhalgaidli  of  lorrus'',  the  men  of  Ceara^,  the 
Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne^,  now  called  Cineal  Guaire^, 
Cineal  Aodha  na  h-Echtghe'',  Coill  Ua  bh-Fiach- 
rach',  together  with  other  territories  not  considered  as  of  the  Hy- 
Fiachrach  at  the  present  day]. 

Fiachra, 

west  of  tlie  county  of  Mayo. 

®  The  Men  ofCeara,  i.  e.  the  inhabitants 
of  the  barony  of  Cara,  in  the  county  of 
Mayo. 

f  Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne,  i.  e.  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  diocese  of  Kilmacduagh,  which 
comprises  the  entire  of  the  territory  an- 
ciently called  Aidhne See  Map  of  the 

Tract  on  Hy-Many. 

8  Cineal  Gnaire,  i.  e.  the  descendants  of 
the  celebrated  Guaire  Aidhne,  King  of 
Connaught,  in  the  seventh  century. 

^  Cineal  Aodha,   na  h-Echtghe This 

B2 


Muadius  by  Colgan,  and  Moyus  by  Ware, 
and  at  present  Muaidh,  in  Irish,  by  the  na- 
tives. It  rises  in  the  barony  of  Leyny,  in 
the  county  of  Sligo,  flows,  by  a  circuitous 
course,  through  the  barony  of  G  alien,  in 
Mayo,  and,  passing  through  Foxford  and 
Ballina,  discharges  itself  into  the  bay  of 
Killala,  forming  for  some  miles  the  boun- 
dary between  the  counties  of  Mayo  and 
Sligo. 

**  The  Hi/-Atnhalgaidh  oflorrus,  i.  e.  the 
descendants  of  Amhalgaidh,  who  dwelt  in 
the  present  barony  of  Erris,  in  the  north- 


Coij  TTiec  piacpac,  mec  Gacac  TTluigrheabofn,  .i.6a]icCuilbui6e, 
o  o-rdiD  pi|i  Cheapa  (ap  aipe  at)  beapra  Gajic  Culbufbe  oVie,  uaiji 
nfp  bui6e  an  c-op  ap  na  bpuinoeab  indp  a  pole.  CXgup  po  ba  Tnop 
cpioc  a  cloinne  50  pujpaD  clann  bhpiain  1  n-epic  a  n-arap  uai6ib). 
Qjup  bpeapal,t)ioba6  a  clann;  agup  Conaipe,  a  quo  Seacnallnaom. 

Qrhaljam,  mac  piacpac,  umoppo,  ap  uai6  Ui  Qrhal^aib  la 
TTIuaib,  ocup  Uf  becon.  Qrhal^aio,  innoppo,  clann  rhop  laip,  .1. 
peblim,  Gocaib  od  rha^,  .1.  TTld^  TTluipipge  in^ene  Lio^ain,  a^up 
TTla^  TTIuiDe,  no  TTluaibe,  a^up  6unt)a,  a^iip  Conall,  agup  Qongup, 
a^up  Go^an,  a^up  Copmac,  a^up  Coppoub.  Occ  mec  anOpin 
Upepi,  inline  Nacppaoic,  .1.  oepbpeacaip  C[onj;upa,  mic  NaDppaoic, 
pij  TTIurhan. 

peblimm,  mac  Cfrhal^aib,  t)ia  t)-cd  Ceneul  peblimio  la  h-Uib 
QrhalgaiD,  .1.  Ui  Ceallacdin,  Ui  Caicniab,  TTlec  Coinin,  Ui  TTluirh- 

neacain, 


■was  the  tribe  name  of  the  O'Shaughnessys 
of  Gort  Inse  Guaire,  in  the  south-west  of 
the  county  of  Galway,  who  were  called 
na  h-Echtghe,  because  their  country  com- 
prised a  portion  of  the  mountainous  dis- 
trict of  Sliabh  Echtghe,  now  called  Slieve 
Aughty,  and  sometimes  corruptly  Slieve 
Baughta. 

'  Coill  Ua  bh-Fiachrach.  —  This  name, 
which  is  anglicised  KUlovyeragh,  is  still 
well  known  in  the  county  of  Galway,  and 
applied  to  the  north-western  portion  of 
the  barony  of  Kiltartan.  It  appears  by 
an  inquisition  taken  at  Galway  in  1608, 
that  "  Killovyeragh,  O'Heyne's  contry, 
being  estimated  only  as  forty-five  quarters 
of  land,  doth  consist  of  8640  acres,  which 
maketh  [in  reality]  three  skorc  and  twelve 
quarters." — See  Map  prefixed  to  the  tract 


on  Hy-Many,  for  the  situation  of  this  ter- 
ritory. 

"  Five  sons — Only  four  of  the  sons  of 
Fiachra  are  here  named.  His  fifth  son 
Avas  Dathi,  who  became  monarch  of  Ire- 
land, and  is  mentioned  p.  17. 

J  Fric,  i.  e.  mulct,  fine,  or  reparation. 

^  Sechnall  the  Saint.  —  The  pedigree  of 
St.  Sechnall,  or  Secundinus,  the  son  of 
Darerca,  the  sister  of  St.  Patrick,  is  given 
differently  by  Colgan. 

'  The  Ui  Amhalgaidh,  on  the  Muaidh, 
i.  e.  the  inhabitants  of  the  present  barony 
of  Tirawley,  which  is  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  River  Muaidh,  now  the  Moy. 

*"  The  plain  of  Muirisc,  daughter  of  Lio- 
gan,  that  is,  the  plain  called  after  Muirisc, 
the  daughter  of  Liogan,  for  some  account 
of  whom  see  Dinnsenchus,  Lib.  Lecan,  fol. 


Fiachra,  son  of  Eocliaidh  Muiglimheadlioin,liad  five  sons"'*';  namely, 
Earc  Culbhuidhe  from  whom  are  descended  the  men  of  Ceara. 
(He  was  called  Earc  Culbhuidhe,  because  the  smelted  gold  was  not 
yellower  than  his  hair.  The  territory  of  his  descendants  was  great 
until  the  descendants  of  his  brother  Brian  took  it  from  them  as 
eric^  for  their  father).  Breasal,  whose  race  became  extinct;  and 
Conaire,  from  whom  sprung  Sechnall"",  the  Saint. 

From  Amhalgaidh,  the/ourth  son  of  Fiachra,  are  sprung  the  Hy- 
Amhalgaidh  on  the  Muaidh',  and  the  Hy-Becon.  This  Amhalgaidh 
had  a  large  family,  namely,  Fedhlim ;  Eochaidh  of  the  two  plains, 
i.  e.  of  the  plain  of  Muirisc,  daughter  of  Liogan"",  and  of  the  plain 
of  Muidh,  or  Muaidh";  Eunda;  Conall;  Aongus;  Eoghan;  Cormac; 
and  Corrdubh.  These  were  the  eight  sons  of  Tresi,  the  daughter  of 
Natfraoch,  and  sister  of  Aongus,  son  of  Nadfraoch,  king  of  Munster°. 

From  Fedhlim,  the  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  are  descended  the  Cineal 
Fedhlimidh,  in  Hy- Amhalgaidh ;  that  is,  the  families  of  O'Ceal- 
lachain",  O'Caithniadh'',  Mac  Coinin*",  O'Muimhneachain",  Mag-Fhio- 

nain, 

247.     It  is  the  name  of  a  narrow  piece  of  Osnata,  in  the  plain  of  Magh  Fea,  now 

level  land   stretching   from   the   foot   of  Kellistown,  in  the  barony  of  Forth  and 

Croaghpatrick,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  to  county  of  Carlow,  in  the  year  439. 

the  margin  of  Clew  Bay.     From  the  mo-  p  O'Ceallachain,  now  O'Callaghan  ;  but 

nastery  of  Muirisc  in  this  place  the  barony  O'Callaghan  of  Erris  is  not  to  be  cou- 

ofMurresk,  anciently  called  Upper  Umhall,  founded   with    O'Callaghan   of  Munster, 

was  named  in  1585.  who  is  of  a  different  race  and  a  far  more 

"^  The  plain  of  Muidh  or  Muaidh,  i.  e.  distinguished  family, 

the  plain  through  which  the  Eiver  Moy  1  O'Caithniadh. —  There  is  not  one  of 

flows.     It  does  not  appear  to  have  been  this  name  in  Erris  at  present,  and  it  is 

the  name  of  any  distinct  principality  or  believed  that  the  family  is  extinct, 

territory,  but  a  natural  appellation  given  "^  Mac  Coinin. — This  name  still  exists, 

to  the  region  traversed  by  this  river.  but  is  variously  anglicised  Cunnion,  Cun- 

°  Aengus,  son  of  Nadfraoch,  King   of  niam.  Canning,  &c. 

Munster,  was  slain  in  the  battle  of  Cell         ^  C Muimhneachain This  name  is  still 


neacmn,  TTles  phionnam,  Ui  J^^P^^*^^^'  ^^  Conboipne.     Ceneal 
peblimi6  pin  la  h-loppup. 

Qon:^iif,  mac  QmalgaiD,  t)ia  t)-rd  Cineul  n-Qon^upa,  la  li-Uib 
Qrhalgait),  .i.  Ui  nDuipeaDoi^,  uaoipi^  an  Lagdin,  agup  ap  Do  cloinn 
Qon^iipa  po  bai  Oiiicaill  t)dpacrac  d  Sfc  bu6a  m^ene  bhuibb 
Dep^;  agiip  ap  t)o  cloinn  Qon^upa  luce  Ouna  pmne,  .i.  Ui  Cuint>, 
a^up  TTle^  Oopdin,  ajup  Ui  Corhbdn,  a^up  Ui  Ouibleapga,  a^up 
Ui  beap^a,  a^up  Ui  bli^e,  a^up  Ui  Ouanma,  no  Ouamnai^;  a^up 
ap  t)o  cloinn  Qon^iipa  111  Paoubdn  ^leanna  on  Caipn,  .1.  l?at)uban, 
mac  TTluipeaboi^,  ttiic  Garac,  mic  Qon^upa,  mic  Qrhalx^aib. 

Do  cloinn  Qon^upa  beop  TTlac  Conleupeac,  6  biop  (.ecpeac,  .1. 
Culerpeac,  mac  Qo6a,  mic  TTluipeanoi^,  mic  Garac,  mic  Qongupa; 
a^iip  ap  00  lb  niuipeaboi^  Ui  piiionnacam  na  pionncailrhe.  Qp 
t>o  lb  rriiiipeaboi^,  iimoppo,  po  pagaib  Copmac  naorh  pon  5-cearpa, 
a^up  par  n-uplabpa,  a^iip  biiab  n-aileamna,  a^up  pon  corhaiple, 
a^up  ceannup  pfoDa  agup  comaipce  la  b-Uib  Qrhalgaib;  agup 
eappab  pi'5  Ua  n-Qrhal^aib  t)o'n  pop  bup  Deac  o'  lb  TTiuipeaboi^. 

Gocaib 

numerous  in  Erris,  but  anglicised  Mina-  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis's  poem, 

ban,  or  Mynahan.    See  notes  to  tbe  Topo-  y  The  hill  ofBudh. — Tbis  was  tbe  name 

grapbical  Poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  of  a  celebrated  bill  not  far  from  Ratb- 

Firbis,  towards  tbe  end  of  tbis  volume.  crogban,    in  tbe    county  of  Roscommon. 

'  Mag  Fhionain,  now  always  anglicised  Tbere  is  anotber  bill  of  tbe  name  near  tbe 

Gannon.  town    of  Strabane,  in  Tyrone.     Bodbbb 

"  O'Gearadhain,  now  Gearan,  but  tbe  Dearg  was  a  Tuatba  De  Danann  cbieftain, 

name  is  scarce  in  Erris.  and  tbe  son  of  Dagbda,  monarcb  of  Ireland. 

'  O'Conboirne,  now  always  anglicised  z  Dun  Finne,  now  Dunfeeny,  or  Dun- 
Burns,  but  tbe  name  is  more  common  on  finny,  tbe  name  of  an  old  cburcb  and 
the  east  side  of  tbe  Moy  tban  in  Erris.  parisb  in  tbe  nortb  of  tbe  barony  of  Ti- 

w  O'Midreadkaigh,  now  Murray.  rawley,  and  county  of  Mayo,  about  nine 

^  Lagan,  a  district  in  tbe  nortb  of  tbe  miles  nortb-west  from  Killalla.     Tbe  old 

barony  of  Tirawley,  in  tbe  county  of  Mayo,  cburcb  of  tbis  parisb  was  built  witbin  tbe 

for  tbe  extent  of  wbicb  see  notes  to  Gilla  eartben  fort,  or  dun,  from  wbicb  tbe  place 


nain',  O'Gearadhain",  O'Conboirne^     These  are  the  Cineal  Fedhli- 
midh  of  lorrus. 

From  Aongus,  the  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  are  descended  the  Cineal 
Aongusa,  in  Hy- Amhalgaidh ;  namely,  the  O'Muireadhaighs"',  chief- 
tains of  the  Lagan"" ;  and  of  the  descendants  of  tJiis  Aongus  was  Diu- 
caill  the  Fierce,  of  the  hill  of  Budh^  daughter  of  Bodhbh  Dearg ; 
and  of  the  descendants  of  Aongus  are  the  people  of  Dun  Finne^ ; 
namely,  the  families  o/0'Cuinn,  Mag  Odhrain,  O'Comhdhan,  O'Duibh- 
learga,  O'Bearga,  O'Blighe,  O'Duanma,  or  Duanmaigh ;  and  of  the 
race  of  Aongus  is  the  family  o/0'Radubhan  of  Gleann  an  chairn% 
n)ho  descend  from  Radubhan,  son  of  Muireadhach,  son  of  Eochaidh, 
son  of  Aongus,  son  of  Amhalgaidh. 

Of  the  race  of  Aongus  also  is  the  family  ofM^c  Conletreach,  of 
Lios  Leitreach^,  who  descend  from  Culetreach,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of 
Muireadhach,  son  of  Eochaidh,  son  of  Aongus ;  and  of  the  Hy-Muir- 
eadhaigh  is  the  family  0/ O'Fionnacains",  of  Fionnchalamh^  It  was 
to  these  Hy-Muireadhaigh  that  St.  Cormac'  left  prosperity  of  cattle 
and  the  gift  of  eloquence,  success  of  fosterage,  the  gift  of  good  coun- 
sel, and  the  headship  of  peace  and  protection  among  the  Hy- Amh- 
algaidh; and  the  battle  dress  of  the  King  of  Hy- Amhalgaidh  was 
given  to  the  best  man  of  the  Hy-Muireadhaigh. 

Eochaidh 

originally  received  its  name.  "  O'Fionnacain,  now  Finnagan,  but  the 

*  Gleann  an  chairn,  now  Baile  an  ghle-  name,  though  common  in  other  parts  of 

anna,  or  Glynn,  a  townland  in  the  parish  Ireland,  is  scarce  in  this  district. 

of  Dunfeeny.      The   family  names   here         ^  Fionnchalamh,  now    obsolete See 

mentioned  are  all  obsolete  at  present  in  Notes  farther  on,  and  Index. 

the  barony  of  Tirawley.  ^  St.  Corniac. — For  some  account  of  this 

b  Lios  Leitreach This  was  the  name  of  saint's  visit  to  Tirawley,  see  his  life  as 

a  fort  in  the  townland  of  Ballykinlettragh,  translated  by  Colgan,   Acta  Sanctorum, 

in  the  parish  of  Kilfian,  in  the  barony  of  p.  752,  and  also  the  Irish  life  preserved  in 

Tirawley.     The  name  Mac  Conleitreach  the  Book  of  Lecan,  from  a  copy  of  which 

is  now  obsolete.  Colgan  made  his  Latin  version. 


8 

6ocai6  Da  rha^,  mac  Qrhal^aib,  mac  Do  piacyia  pionn,  6  D-cdit) 
Ui  phiacjia  pinnn  la  h-Uib  Qrhal^aib,  .1.  Ua  Con^aile  o  Cill 
acam  t)uib,  a^up  Ui  Carupai^  o  Cill  acai6  t)uib  beoy^. 

Gojan,  Cojimac  ocuy^  CoppDub,  ni  h-aiprhiceap  a  5-clann  ma 
]\o  pa^pat). 

Gunt)a  Cpom,  mac  QmaljaiD,  o  t)-udit)  Ui  GunOa  Chpuim  la 
h-Uib  Qmal^aioh. 

Conall,  mac  QrhalgaiD,  o  t)-cdit)  Ui  Conuill  Oaile,  co  n-a  5-com- 
pojiip.     TTlec  Upepi  pin. 

Seacu  mec  la  h-Gapca,  injen  Gacac,  pi^  Lai^ean,  bean  ele  t)o 
Qmaljam,  .1.  peap^up,  Copmac  Ceann-poDa,  Colom,  SeuDna, 
Gocaib,  Ctoloobap,  a^up  Gmeac,  6  t>-udit>  Ui  Gmeacdm.  peap^up, 
mac  Qrhalgaib,  umoppo,  oa  mac  laip,  .1.  Conain^,  ocup  TTIuipeaboc, 
.1.  pij  Ua  n-QmaljaiD.  Conam^,  umoppo,  ap  ua6a  acdiD  Ui 
Qiprheaooij,  .i.  luce  Chaille  Conaill  a  cuaig,  .^.  o  Uhpdi^  ITlupbaig 
50  peappaiD  Upepi,  die  ap  bdireab  t^pepi,  in^ean  Naoppaoic, 
bean  Qrhaljaib,  mic  piacpac.  Ctpiat)  po  cmneaba  an  Cliaille,  .1.  Ui 
Oep5,  ajup  Ui  Qoba  Qipt)  6  n-Qo6a,  a^upUi  TTlaoilconaipe,  agup 
Ui  piannabpa,  agup  Ui  "Ce^a.  Qgup  ap  00  cloinn  Conain^,  mic 
peapjupa,  Cumam  poDa,  Dia  D-ca  Ceall  Cumaom,  la  Caille 
Conaing. 

TTIuipeaboc 

f  CillAchaidh  duibh,  called  Cill  Ardubh  flowing  througli  the  centre  of  the  parish, 

in  other  authorities.     The  place  is  now  and  through  the  little  town  of  Crossmolina, 

called  KillardufF,  and  is  a  townland  con-  discharges  itself  into  Lough  Con,  at  its 

taining  the  ruins  of  an  ancient  church,  northern  extremity.     Our  author,  in  his 

situated  in  the  parish  of  Dunfeeny,  in  the  pedigree  of  the  family  of  "Walsh,  describes 

barony  of  Tirawley,  and  about  a  mile  be-  this  river  as  flowing  by  the  country  of 

low  the  village  of  Ballycastle.  the  Clann  Robert,  in  Tirawley. 

8  Dael,  now  the  Deel,   a  river  which         ^  Traigh  Murbhaigh This,  as  our  au- 

rises  to  the  south    of  the   townland  of  thor  informs  us  elsewhere,  was  the  ancient 

Glendavualagh,   in  the  parish  of  Cross-  name  of  the  strand  called  Traigh  Ceall  in 

molina,  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  and  his  own  time.     This  strand  is  situated  at 


Eochaidh  of  the  two  plains,  the  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  had  a  son 
Fiachra  Fionn,  from  whom  are  descended  the  Hy-Fiachrach  Finn,  in 
Hy- Amhalgaidh,  viz.,  the  families  of  O'Congaile  of  Cill  achaidh 
duibh'',  and  O'Cathasaigh  of  Cill  achaidh  duibh  also. 

The  descendants  of  Eoghan,  Cormac,  and  Corrdubh,  if  they  left 
any,  are  not  mentioned. 

From  Eunda  Crom,  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  are  the  Hy-Emida  Cruim 
among  the  Hy- Amhalgaidh. 

From  Conall,  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  are  descended  the  Hy-Conaill,  of 
the  River  DaeP,  with  their  correlatives.   These  were  the  sons  of  Tresi. 

Earca,  daughter  of  Eochaidh,  King  of  Leinster,  another  wife  of 
Amhalgaidh,  had  seven  sons ;  namely,  Fergus;  Cormac  Ceannfoda; 
Colom;  Seudna;  Eochaidh;  Aoldobhar;  and  Emeach,  from  whom  are 
sprung  the  family  o/0'h-Emeachain.  Fergus,  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  had 
two  sons,  namely,  Conaing  and  Muireadhach,  King  of  Hy- Amhalgaidh. 
From  Conaing  are  sprung  the  Hy-Airmeadhaigh,  who  are  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Caille  Conaill,  in  the  north,  that  is  the  tract  extending  from 
TraighMurbhaigh"  toFearsad  Tresi',  where  Tresi,  the  daughter  of  Nad- 
fraoch,  and  wife  of  Amhalgaidh,  son  of  Fiachra,  was  drowned.  These 
are  the  tribes  of  Caille,  viz.,  the  families  o/O'Derg;  O'h-Aodha,  of  Ard 
O'n-AodhaJ;  O'Maoilconaire;  O'Flannabhra;  and  O'Tegha.  And  of 
the  race  of  this  Conaing,  the  son  of  Fergus,  was  Cumain  Foda,  from 

whom  Cill  Cumaoin''  in  Caille  Conaing  has  derived  its  name. 

The 

the  village  of  Eathlacken,  near  Killala,  in  parish  of  Killala,  and  barony  of  Tirawley. 

the  barony  of  Tirawley.    The  Eoman  Ca-  There  are  two  round  stones  on  each  side 

tholic    chapel    of  Lacken    stands    at    its  of  the  fearsad,  or  channel,  to  point  out  its 

western  extremity.  position. 

»  Fearsad  Tresi,  i.  e.  the  passage  or  tra-  J  Ard  0''n-Aodha,  i.  e.  altitudo  nepotum 

jectus  of  Tresi.     It  is  now,  and  has  been     Aidi This  name  is  now  forgotten  in  the 

for  centuries,  called  Fearsad  Eaith  Bhrain,  country. 

i  e.  the  passage  or  trajectus  of  Eafran.    It  ^  Cill  Cumaoin,  more  correctly  called 

lies  just  under  the  abbey  of  Eafran,  in  the  Cill  Chuimin  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  C 


lO 


Tnui|iea6oc,  mac  peaji^ufa,  ice  a  clann,  .1.  cpioca  ceut>  an 
bhaic,  a^uf  ^^^^^^^^  NerhrinDe,  a^up  lecjiioca  ceuD  na  bpeuDca. 
C[p  lao  fo  pineaboi^  Dubcupa  an  bhaic,  .1.  OXaccna,  raoipioc  an 
t>a  bhac  agup  an  ^^^^eanna,  ajup  ap  Dib  Ui  Duba^ain,  agup  Clann 
piiipbipi^,  .1.  pileaba  Ua  n-QrhaljaiD  agup  Cloinne  piacpac 
(Lacuna  TTlac  phipbipi^  at)ep  Ceabap  balb  Shemuip  TTlic  phipbi- 
P15),  Ui  TTlaoilpuaib  6  QpD-acab,  a^up  Ui  Cuimin  beapa  Cuimm 
la  TTluam. 

dy  lat)  po  pinea6a  na  6peut)ca,  .1.  O'Uo^ba  raoipioc  na  bpeut)- 
ca,  a^up  Ua  ^laimfn,  a^up  Ua  Luacaib,  agup  Ua  ^ilin.  Qp 
t)o  piol  TTluipeaboi^,  mic  peap^upa,  Ua  Ceap^upa  la  h-laprap 
Connaclic. 

Clann  TTluipinne  (injiene  Dubcaij,  pij;  Ua  TTlaine),  rhna  ele  t)o 
QrhalgaiD,  .i.  Caipbpe,  Dia  0-ca  Uiseapnan  OipiD  Coca  Con;  Qon- 

5"r 


elsewhere  by  our  Author.  The  name  is 
now  anglicised  Kilcummin,  and  is  that  of 
a  parish  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  about 
four  miles  and  a  half  north  of  Killala,  on 
the  west  side  of  Killala  Bay.  The  ancient 
church  of  this  parish  is  one  of  great  anti- 
quity, built  of  very  large  stones  in  the  pri- 
mitive Irish  style.  At  this  church  was  pre- 
served some  years  since  a  flat  stone  called 
Leac  Chuimin,  to  which  the  peasantry  re- 
sorted for  many  superstitious  purposes,  but 
it  was  removed  by  Dr.  Lyons,  now  parish 
priest  of  Kilmore-Erris,  who  caused  it  to 
be  built  up  in  the  wall  of  the  new  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral,  at  Ballina,  for  "certain 
Aveighty  reasons." 

This  pedigree  of  St.  Cuimin  is  not 
given  by  the  O'Clerys  in  their  Genealogies 
of  the  Irish  Saints. 


^  Canired  ofBac,  is  still  well  known  in 
the  country  by  the  name  of  the  Two 
Backs,  and  lies  between  Lough  Con  and 
the  River  Moy,  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley ; 
for  a  more  definite  description  of  which 
see  Notes  to  the  Topographical  Poem  of 
Gilla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis  further  on. 

"  Gleann  Nemhthinne,  now  anglicised 
Glen  Nephin,  for  the  extent  of  which  see 
Notes  to  Gilla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis's  To- 
pographical Poem. 

"  The  half  cantred  of  Breudach — This 
territory  was  nearly  co-extensive  with  the 
parish  of  Moygawnagh,  in  the  west  of  the 
barony  of  Tirawley. 

°  G'Lachtna,  now  always  O'Lachtnain 
in  Irish,  and  anglicised  Loughnane  and 
Loftus.  Dr.  Martin  Loftus,  formerly  pro- 
fessor of  the  Irish  language  in  the  College 


1 1 


The  following  are  the  descendants  of  Muireadhach,  the  son  of 
Fergus,  namely,  the  inhabitants  o/the  cantred  of  Bac',  and  of  Gleann 
Nemhthinne™,  and  of  the  half  cantred  of  Breudach".  These  are  the 
hereditary  tribes  of  Bac,  viz.,  0'Lachtna°,  chief  of  the  two  Bacs  and 
of  the  Glenn",  and  of  them  are  the  families  0/ O'Dubhagain,  and  the 
Clann  Firbisigh,  the  poets  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh  and  of  Hy-Fiachrach ; — 
(the  Leabhar  Balbh''  of  James  Mac  Firbis,  says,  that  Lachtna  was 
Mac  Firbis'); — O'Maoilruaidh' ;  of  Ard  achadh',  and  O'Cuimin,  of 
Lios  Cuimin"  on  the  Muaidh. 

These  are  the  families  of  Breudach,  viz.,  O'Toghdha'',  chief  of 
Breudach,  O'Glaimin"',  O'Luachaibh"",  and  O'Gilin^.  Of  the  race  of 
this  Muireadhach,  the  son  of  Fergus,  is  the  family  of  O'Learghusa^, 
of  the  west  of  Connaught. 

The  sonsof  Muirenn  (daughter  of  Dubhthach,  King  of  Hy-Many), 
another  wife  of  Amhalgaidh,  were  the  following,  viz.,  Cairbre,  from 

whom 


of  Maynooth,  is  of  this  family. 

P  Of  the  Glenn,  i.  e.  of  Glen  Nephin. 

*>  The  Leabhar  Balbh,  i.  e.  the  Dumb 
Book.  This  book,  which  is  now  unknown, 
would  appear  to  have  been  called  the 
Dumb,  because  it  chronicled  events  which 
many  of  the  chieftains  in  power  did  not 
wish  to  be  known.  But  of  this  more  dis- 
tinctly hereafter. 

■^  Lachtna  was  Mac  Firbis,  that  is,  the 
Lachtna,  after  whom  the  family  of 
O' Lachtna  was  called,  was  of  the  Mac 
Firbis  tribe. 

*  O'^Maoilruaidh,  now  Mulroy,  but  the 
name  is  not  in  the  district. 

Ard  achaidh,  now  Ardagh,  a  parish 
in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  about  two  miles 
and  three  quarters  west  south  west  of  the 

c 


town  of  Ballina. 

^  Lios  Chuimin,  i.e.  Cuimin's  fort.  The 
name  is  now  unknown,  though  it  is  highly 
probable  that  the  fort  remains. 

'  G'Toghdha.  —  This  name  is  now  un- 
known in  the  district. 

"'  0''Glaimin,  now  obsolete. 

^  G' Luachaibh,  is  written  O'Luachaim 
in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  but  the  m  is  evi- 
dently intended  to  be  pronounced  as  if 
aspirated.     The  name  is  now  obsolete. 

y  G'Gilin This  name  not  extant  in 

the  district,  though  common  in  other  parts 
of  Ireland. 

2  G'Learghusa. — This  name  is  now  an- 
glicised, correctly  enough,  Larissy,  and  is 
found  in  various  parts  of  Ireland. 


12 

juf  Pionn  mac  Qrhaljaib,  Dia  t>-cait)  Ui  ^cfi^ceacan,  Ui  phlainn, 
agup  Ui  TTlaoilpiona,  plaice  Caljiaige  TTlui^e  h-Gleag ;  Ouibion- 
Dpacr  mac  QmalgaiD,  6  o-caio  rnuinciji  pocai^,  TTluinciii  Culacan, 
ajup  Tnuinui]!  Ouinncuan ;  Cu-comgelc  mac  Qrhaljaib,  6  O-caD 
muinciji  Uhomalcai^;  Concabap  mac  Qrhaljam,  6  D-caD  ITIuin- 
ci|i  Ubain  co  n-a  ^-corhpoi^pib. 

Copmac  Ceann-paDa,  Colom,  ajup  SeuOna,  agup  Qoloobap,  nf 
h-oi]i6epc  a  5-clann. 

piacpa  mac  Qrhalgaib,  6  D-caiD  1  beccon  1  TTliDe. 

becon, 
mac  Comam,  mic  Qrhal^aiD,  pi^  Chonnacc, 

mic  Seanai^,  mic  piacpac, 

mic  Qoba,  mic   Gacac    TTlui^rheaDoin,    pij 

mic  piacpac,  Gipionn. 

ceweu^  aiRmTieat)hai^h  awt)  so. 

OuinionDac, 
mac  Qipmeaooij,  naic  peap^upa, 

mic  baoDain,  niic  Qrhal^aio, 

mic  piacpac,  mic  piacpac. 

mic  Conain^, 

ceweuc 

^  St.  Tighearnan,  of  Oireadk  Locha  Con,  Eocliaidh,  monarch  of  Ireland  ;  so  that  he 

i.  e.  St.  Tiernan,  the  patron  of  the  church  must  have  flourished  in  the  latter  end  of 

or  abbey  of  Errew,  on  Lough   Con.     A  the  fifth  century. 

celebrated  relic  of  this  saint,  called  TTIiaf         ^  G' Gaibhtheachain This  name  is  now 

Ci^eapnain,   i.  e.   St.  Tiernan's  dish,  is  correctly  anglicised  Gaughan,  and  is  still 

stiU  preserved  at  Rappa  Castle,  in  the  ba-  common  in  the  district. 
rony  of  Tirawley.    In  the  Book  of  Lecan,  '^  G'Flainn,  now  O'Flynn. 

fol.  46,  the  pedigree  of  this  St.  Tighernan,         ^  0' Maoilfhiona There  is  scarcely  one 

or  Tiernan,  is  given  as  follows  : — Tigher-  of  this  name  now  in  Tirawley,   though 

nan,  son  of  Ninnidh,  son  of  Cairpri,  son  they  were  formerly  very  powerful.      The 

of  Amhalgaidh,    son  of  Fiachra,    son  of  little  town  of  Crossmolina,  in  Irish  called 


13 


whom  sprung  St.  Tighearnan,  of  Oireadli  Locha  Con'' ;  Aongus  Fionn 
Mac  Amhalgaidh,  from  whom  are  the  families  o/O'Gaibhtheachain", 
O'Flaimi^  and  D'Haoilfhiona"*,  chiefs  of  Calraighe  Muighe  h-Eleag^ ; 
Diiibhindracht  Mac  Amhalgaidh,  from  whom  are  the  Muintir 
Fothaigh^,  Muintir  Culachan,  and  Muintir  Duinncuan;  Cucoingelt 
Mac  Amhalgaidh,  from  whom  are  the  Muintir  Tomaltaigh;  and 
Conchobhar  Mac  Amhalgaidh,  from  whom  are  the  Muintir  Ubain, 
with  their  correlatives. 

The  descendants  of  Cormac  Ceannfada,  i.  e.  of  the  long  head, 
Colom,  Seudna,  and  Aoldobhar,  are  not  illustrious. 

From  Fiachra,  the  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  are  descended  the  Hy- 
Becon  of  Meath,  thus  : 


Becon, 
son  of  Coman, 
son  of  Seanach, 
son  of  Aodh, 
son  of  Fiachra, 


son  of  Amhalgaidh,  King  of  Con- 
naught, 

son  of  Fiachra, 

son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadh- 
oin.  King  of  Ireland. 


CINEAL  AIRMHEADHAIGH  HERE. 

Duiniondach, 
son  of  Airmeadhach,  son  of  Fergus, 

son  of  Baodan,  son  of  Amhalgaidh, 

son  of  Fiachra,  son  of  Fiachra. 

son  of  Conaing, 


THE 


Cpof  Ui  mhaoilpiona,  i.  e.   O'Molina's  Tirawley.     See  Notes  to  the  Topographi- 

Cross,  took  its  name  from  them.  cal  Poem  of  GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis. 

^  Calraighe  Muighe  h-Eleag This  ter-  ^  Muinter  Fothaigh,    S^c.  Sfc These, 

ritory  was  nearly  co-extensive  with  the  which  were  probably  tribe  names,  are  now 

parish  of  Crossinolina,  in  the  barony  of  unknown  in.  Tirg-wley. 


14 


ceNeu6  N-euNt)a,  mic  amhac^aiDh. 

niaolb|ii^t)e, 


TYiac  Cnairh^iolla, 
mic  'Comalcai^, 
mic  l?eaccabpa, 
rmc  Clocpa, 
Time  Duiblaca, 
mic  OiajiTTiaDa, 
mic  Uijeaiinain, 

[Reaccab|ia, 
mac  Qeloobaip, 
mic  Caiccmt), 
mic  puilim, 
mic  Dima, 

pea]i5up,  a^up  aonjup, 
t)a  TTlac  Chonaill, 
mic  pionam, 
mic  Conaill, 
mic  peapaboi  j, 


mic  6jic, 
mic  TTlaine, 
mic  Conaill, 
mic  Gunt)a, 
mic  QmalgaiD, 
mic  piacyiac. 


mic  Popa, 
mic  pemlimij, 
mic  Ctmal^aiD, 
mic  piacpa.] 


Cucorai^, 
mac  TTlaonai^  Cheapa, 
mic  Ouncaba, 
mic  piomn  l?66ba, 
mic  TTiaoilouin, 
mic  pailbe, 
mic  TTlaoilurha, 


mic  Copmaic, 
mic  Qon^upa, 
mic  Qrhal^aiD, 
mic  piacyiac. 

Seweacach  pearj  cea^a. 


mic  peapaboi^, 

mic  l?opa  Doimri^, 

mic  rriaine  ITIuinbjiic, 

mic  6]ic  Culbiiibe, 

mic  piacpach  polcfnaraig, 

mic  6arac  TTlui^meaboin. 


[DonDcacaij, 

8  ReachtMra.  —  l!h.{s  line  is  supplied     col.  a.     It  does  not  belong  to  the  heading 
from  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  79,  page  a,     Cineal  Eunda. 


^5 


THE  CINEAL  EUNDA,  SON  OF  AMHALGAIDH. 

Maolbrighde, 


son  of  Ere, 
son  of  Maine, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Eunda, 
son  of  Amhalgaidh, 
son  of  Fiaehra. 


son  of  Cnaimhgliiollan, 
son  of  Tomaltacli, 
son  of  Reachtablira, 
son  of  Clothra, 
son  of  Dubhlacha, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Tighearnan, 

[Reachtabhra^, 
son  of  Aeldobhar, 
son  of  Laiteenn, 
son  of  Fuilim, 
son  of  Dima, 

Fergus''  and  Aongus, 
two  sons  of  Conall, 
son  of  Fionan, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Fearadhach, 

GENEALOGY  OF  THE  MEN  OF  CEARA. 

Cucotliaigh, 
son  of  Maonach,  of  Ceara, 
son  of  Dunchadh, 
son  of  Flann  Rodhba,  i.  e.  Flann 

of  the  River  Robe, 
son  of  Maolduin, 
son  of  Failbhe, 
son  of  Maolumha, 


son  of  Ros, 
son  of  Feidhlimidh, 
son  of  Amhalgaidli, 
son  of  Fiachra]. 

son  of  Cormac, 
son  of  Aongus, 
son  of  Amhalgaidh, 
son  of  Fiachra. 


son  of  Fearadhach, 

son  of  Ros  Doimthigh, 

son  of  Maine  Muinbreac, 

son  of  Earc  Culbhuidhe, 

son  of  Fiachra  Foltsnathach, 

son  ofEodiaidhMuighmlieadlioin. 


^  Fergus This  line  is  given  by  our 

Author  without  any  heading  ;  for  it  does 


Donncathaigh, 
not  belong  to  Cineal  Eunda,  under  which 
he  places  it. 


i6 

[DonDcarai^, 
mac  rnailiimai,  mic  TTlaine  lTluinb|ncc, 

TTiic  peapaoai^,  mic  Gipc  Culbuioi.] 

inic  IRoya  DoimDigiu, 

Cui5  mec  lay^  an  Coincoraij;  y^in,  .^.  Uijeapnac,  6  D-caiD  Ui 
Ui^eapnaij,  .i.  Rio^a  Ceajia;  Uarrha]idn,  6  t)-cdit)  Ui  Uarrha- 
]idin ;  Niall,  a  quo  TTlec  Nell;  UaDa,  6  D-cdiD  Ui  UaDacli ;  agup 
pajapcac,  6  t)-rdm  Ui  Pa^aprai^,  arhail  appepc  : 

Cui^eap  TYiac  pa  mop  po^an, 

Niall,  ip  Uaoa,  ip  Uarrhapan, 

pagapcac  po  bpip  bedpnai^, 

Ldrh  uabapcac  Ui^eapnai^. 

[Cuan,  6  o-cdm  Clann  Cuain, 
mac  eacac,  niic  l?opa  Doimci^, 

mic  pioinn,  mic  TTlaine  TTlumbpic, 

mic  peapabai^,  rmc  Gpc  Culbuibe.] 

S106  t)achi  siosawa 

Oari,  mac  piacpac,  pij  Gpeann,  Qlban,  bpeacan,  a^up  50  Sliab 
n-Galpa,  uaip  ap  6  X)o  ^ab  capep  Nell  an  pi^e ;  .uii.  m-blia6na 
piceao  DO  ipi^e  n-Gpeann. 

Ice 

'  Donncathaigh This  line  is  supplied  "^  Mac  Neill — Duald  Mac  Firbis  spells 

from  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  79,  page  «,  this  name  Mac  Nell,  but  the  Editor  does 

col.  b.  not  think  it  necessary  to  follow  him,  in 

J  0' Tighearnaigh,  now  anglicised  Tier-  this  innovation,  in  the  translation,  as  he 

ney,  without  the  0'.  has  the  authority  of  the  Book  of  Lecan 

"  Kings  ofCeara,  i.  e.  chiefs  of  the  ter-  for  making  Me  ill  the  genitive  form  of 

ritory  of  Ceara,  now  the  barony  of  Cara,  Hiall   in   almost    every   instance  ;    but 

in  the  present  county  of  Mayo.  the   original  text  of  Duald  Mac   Firbis 

•  O'lJathmharain,  now  obsolete.  shall  not  be  altered  in  any  instance,  al- 


17 

[Donncathaigh', 
Son  of  Maelumliai,  Son  of  Maine  Muinbrec, 

Son  of  Fearadhacli,  Son  of  Ere  Ciilbliuidhi]. 

Son  of  Ros  Doimdigiu, 

This  Cueotliaigli  had  five  sons,  namely,  Tighearnach,  from  whom 
is  the/amilj/ofO'TighesiTnsiigh',  Kings  of  Ceara",  Uathmharan,  from 
whom  is  the  family  of  O'h-Uathmharain' ;  Niall,  a  quo  the  family  of 
Mac  Neill"" ;  Uada,  from  whom  is  the  family  o/'O'h-Uadach;  and  Fagh- 
artach,  from  whom  is  the  family  o/'O'Faghartaigh,  as^Aej^oe^said: 
"  Five  sons  of  great  prosperity, 
Niall  and  Uada,  and  Uathmharan, 
Faghartach,  who  forced  the  gap. 
And  Tisjhearnach  of  the  bounteous  hand." 

[Cuan^  from  whom  are  descended  the  Clann  Cuain,  was. 
Son  of  Eochaidh,  Son  of  Ros  Doimtheach, 

Son  of  Flann,  Son  of  Maine  Muinbreac, 

Son  of  Fearadhach,  Son  of  Earc  Culbhuidhe.] 

THE  RACE  OF  DATHI,  DOWN  HERE. 

Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  was  King  of  Erin,  Alba,  Britain,  and  as 
far  as  the  mountain  of  the  Alps;  for  he  succeeded  NialP  in  the 
government,  and  reigned  twenty  seven  years  as  King  of  Erin. 

though  it  has  been  deemed  necessary  to  the  tribe  called  Clann  Chuain  see  Notes 

preserve  a  uniform  orthography  of  the  to  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis's  poem, 
names  of  men  and  places  in  the  translation         °  Succeeded  Niall  —  Dathi   succeeded 

throughout.     This  family  is  now  extinct,  his  uncle  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages  in 

n  \Cuan This  pedigree  of  Cuan,   en-  the  year  405,  according  to  O'Flaherty  and 

closed  in  brackets,  is  supplied  from  a  copy  the  Irish  Annalists,  and  was  the  last  of  the 

of  Mac  Firbis's  smaller  work,  compiled  in  line  of  the  Pagan  kings  of  Ireland — See 

1666,  in  the  collection  of  Messrs.  Hodges  additional  remarks  on  this  subject  in  the 

and  Smith,  p.  173.     For  the  situation  of  Addenda  to  this  volume. 

lEISH  ARCH.  SOC.   I  2.  D 


Ice  ant)  |^o  na  cara  t>o  cuip  a^  copnarh  Gpiont)  i  n-t)iai5  Nell, 
mic  6arac,  .1.  cau  Qua  UalTnaioe,  cau  boOai^e,  cat  l?aca  Cpua- 
con,  car  TTIui^e  h-Qilbe,  a^up  caua  lomba  1  n-Qlbain,  agup  Cat 
TTlui^e  Cijicain,  agup  Car  Sjiara. 

Lint)  Oari  lap  pin  50  b-peapaib  Gpeann  lep  t)a|i  Tninp  n-lchc 
DocuTTi  Ceaca  50  m-baoi  a^  Sleb  Galpa  t)o  bio^ail  Nell  Naoi- 
^lallai^.  Qpi  pin  aimpip  po  jabapt>aip  popinemiip  (no  papme- 
niup)  pi  Upai^ia  a  Sliab  Galpa  ap  t)-uoiDeacc  00  ap  ceceaD  a 
pi^e  a^iip  ap  5pa6  De  50  piece  Sliab  Galpa  1  n-ailiupe.  Do  pmeab 
lep  rop  cafpac,  ajup  peap^a  rpai^iD  a  aipoe,  t>o  poDaib  ociip  no 
clocaib,  a^up  aon   rpoi^iD    Oen^   uab-pom    50    poillpe,   a^up    po 

baoi 


P  Atk  Talmaide. — This  place  is  now  un- 
known, at  least  to  tlie  Editor. 

'^  Bodaighe. — Unknown. 

'Bath  Cruachan,  now  Ratli  Croghan,  near 
Belanagare,  in  the  county  of  Roscommon. 

^ MaghAilbhe. — This,  which  is  Latinised 
Campus  Albiis,  was  the  ancient  name  of  an 
extensive  plain  in  Leinster,  extending 
from  Slewmargy,  in  the  Queen's  County, 
in  an  eastern  direction,  and  comprising 
portions  of  the  barony  of  Idrone,  in  the 
county  of  Carlow,  and  of  the  baronies  of 
Kilkea  and  Moone,  in  the  county  of  Kil- 
dare.  Bealach  Mughna,  now  Ballagh- 
moone,  to  the  north  of  Carlow,  is  de- 
scribed in  all  the  Irish  authorities  as  in 
Magh  Ailbhe.  Ussher,  in  his  Primordia, 
pp.  936,  937,  thvis  describes  this  plain, 
on  the  authority  of  an  ancient  Life  of 
St.  Munnu  :  — "  Campus  ad  ripam  fluvii 
(juem  Ptolemeus  Birgum,  nos  Barrow  vo- 
camus,  non  procul  a  monte  Margeo  posi- 


tus."  In  a  curious  ancient  poem,  de- 
scribing the  monuments  of  Leinster,  it  is 
called  the  finest  plain  in  Ireland. 

^  Magh  Clrcan,  now  unknown. 

"  Srath There  are  many  places  of  this 

name,  signifying  holm,  or  strath,  in  Ireland 
and  Scotland,  but  the  situation  of  the  site 
of  this  battle  is  not  defined. 

■^  Muir  n-Icht This  is  the  name  by 

which  the  ancient  Irish  writers  always 
call  the  British  sea  which  divides  England 
from  France,  and  some  have  supposed  it 
to  be  derived  from  the  Iccian  harbour, 
which  Csesar  states  that  he  sailed  by  to 
Britain.  However  this  be,  there  can  be 
no  doubt  what  sea  the  Muir  n-Icht  is,  from 
the  many  references  to  it  in  old  Irish 
MSS. ;  Ussher,  Primordia,  p.  823,  says, 
"Est  autem  mare  Icht  (ut  ex  Albei  etiam 
et  Declani  Vitis  didicimus)  illud  quod  Gal- 
liam  et  Britanniam  interfluit." 

™  Leatha.  —  Duald  ]Mac  Firbis,  in  his 


19 


The  following  were  the  battles  which  he  fought  in  defence  of 
Erin  after  the  death  of  Niall,  the  son  of  Eochaidh,  viz.,  the  battle 
of  Ath  Talmaide^  the  battle  of  Bodaighe^  the  battle  of  Eath  Crua- 
chan',  and  the  battle  of  Magh  Ailbhe' ;  and  many  battles  in  Alba 
i.e.  Scotland;  the  battle  of  Magh  Circain',  and  the  battle  of  Srath". 

Dathi  went  afterwards  with  the  men  of  Erin  across  Mnir  n-Icht'' 
towards  Leatha'^,  until  he  reached  the  Alps'",  to  revenge  the  death  of 
Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages^  This  was  the  time  that  Formenius 
(or  Parmenius),  King  of  Thrace^,  took  up  his  residence  in  the  Alps, 
having  fled  from  his  kingdom  and  retired  thither  for  the  love  of 
God  as  a  pilgrim.  He  erected  there  a  circular  tower  of  sods  and 
stones  sixty  feet  in  height'',  and  he  lived  in  the  middle  of  the  tower, 

eleven 


annotations  on  tlie  Life  of  St.  Patrick, 
says,  that  Leatlia  was  the  ancient  Irish 
name  of  Italy ;  but  Mr.  Patrick  Lynch, 
in  his  Life  of  Saint  Patrick,  page  77, 
says,  that  it  was  the  Hibernicised  form 
of  Letavia,  a  name  by  which  a  part,  and 
sometimes  the  whole,  of  Armoric  Gaul 
was  called  by  the  writers  of  the  middle 
ages ;  and  he  has  been  followed  by  Lanigan 
and  others.  See  Addenda  to  this  volume, 
where  the  subject  will  be  further  dis- 
cussed. 

^  The  Alps — Sliabh  Ealpa  is  the  name 
■by  which  the  ancient  Irish  writers  desig- 
nate the  Alps. 

''  To  revenge^  S^^c — This  would  appear 
to  be  a  mistake,  for  the  monarch  NiaU  of 
the  Nine  Hostages  was  not  slain  by  a  fo- 
reigner, but,  according  to  all  the  authori- 
ties, by  Eochaidh,  son  of  Enna  Ceinseallach, 
King  of  Leinster,  who  discharged  a  poi- 

D 


soned  arrow  at  him  on  the  banks  of  the 
Loire.  But  it  may  have  happened  that 
Eochaidh  remained  abroad,  and  that  Dathi 
went  to  Gaul  in  pursuit  of  him.  See  Ad- 
denda to  this  volume. 

^  Formenius^  Sj-c. — He  is  called  Popnie- 
nup  pi  Upacia  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri, 
fol.  35,  p.  b,  col.  a.  No  account  of  this 
king  is  to  be  found  in  any  foreign  writer, 
as  far  as  the  Editor  has  been  able  to  disco- 
ver. Keating  calls  him  Parmenius,  a  holy 
hermit,  and  O'Flaherty,  in  Ogygia,  Part 
III.  c.  87,  p.  416,  calls  him  "quidamEre- 
mita  S.  Firminus"  who,  according  to  the 
Book  of  Lecan  (fol.  302,  b),  was  a  king; 
but  he  does  not  call  him  King  of  Thrace. 

^  A  circular  tower,  S^c. — Uop  cacpac. 
O'Flaherty,  in  Ogygia  (loco  cit.),  trans- 
lates this  turris,  and  describes  it  as  seven- 
teen cubits  high.  Keating  calls  it  a  ouip- 
reach,  or  hermit's  cell. 
2 


20 


baoi  fiorh  i  meaoon  an  ruip,  a^up  ni  paiceab  leup  ^pene  na  poillpi 


ano. 


Uainig  cpa  Dan  gup  an  uop.  Qp  t)e  at)  beapra  Dan  ppi[', 
.1.  ap  6aire  a  gabalcaip  agup  a  larhaij;,  uaip  Da  m-ber  ceao  ag  a 
biubpagao  po  ainceab  oppa  e,  ap  baiue  a  larhui^,  conab  uinie  pin 
po  lean  Dari  paip,  agup  pepaDac  a  ainni  ac  t)iil  poipDo,  agupcoip 
po  baipDeo  Oaici  paip.  O  t)o  conDcaccup  niumcip  an  pi^  an  cop 
uaoib,  cangaoap  Dia  rojail,  agiip  po  pgaoilpioo  e,  agup  po  aipg- 
pioD.  Clgup  po  aipig  popmemup  an  gaor  cuige,  Do  rogbapoaip  Oia 
in  n-t)luirh  ceneaD  50  n-t)eacai6  imle  cemionn  o'n  cop  poobuig  t)o 
pi^ne,  agiip  po  gumeapoaip  Do'n  pig;,  Do  Ohaci,  co  nd  bia  a  plaiceap 
m  but)  pia  ma  pin  ;  agup  po  guibeapDaip  Dia  pop  co  nd  but)  oipbepc 
a  leacc  nd  a  lige.  Ni  paibe  cpa  lapom  t)o  paogal  ag  an  pig  Oaci, 
ace  aipeat)  po  bap  ag  caicrheac  an  cuip,  an  can  cainig  paigeaD 
gealdin  00  nirii  cuige  go  b-puaip  bdp  obann,  aon  uaipe  be. 

rriup 

""  Eleven  feet  from  the  light. — The  reading  the  same  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri,  fol.  35, 
inLeabhar  nah-Uidhriis,  ocuf  oen  cpaig  p.  b,  col.  a.  Rue  cpa  t)ia  uaioib  pop- 
oec  uao-pom  co  polpi.  From  this  it  menup,  i  n-a  oluim  ceneo,  mile  cemeno 
would  appear  that  the  diameter  of  the  cop,  o'n  cup.  This  reading  i  n-a  oluim  ceneo, 
including  the  thickness  of  the  wall,  was  means  that  Formenius's  body  was  con- 
twenty-two  feet.  verted  into  a  blaze  of  fire,  and  in   this 

=  Expertness.  —  This  derivation  of  the  subtle  form  removed  from  the  tower,  and 

nameof  King  Dathi  is  also  given  inZm^/mr  from  the  impious  assault  of  King  Dathi 

na  h-  Uidhri,  fol.  35,  p.  b,  col.  a,  but  in  the  and  his  Pagan  plunderers.  But  in  n-Dluirii 

margin,  and  in  a  hand  somewhat  more  mo-  ceneao,  as  the  text  is  given  by  our  author, 

dern  than  the  original.    Keating  too  gives  means  that  his  body  was  raised  up  in,  i.  e. 

the  same  derivation  of  the  name,  explain-  within  a  mass  of  flame,  which  is  a  more 


iug  oaici  by  the  modern  word  capa,  ex- 
pert, active,  dexterous. 

''  Feradhach.  —  Keating  also  says  that 
Fearadhach  was  his  first  name,  and  he 
calls  tDairi  his  popainm,  i.  e.  his  cognomen. 


correct  idea,  and  seems  to  have  been  de- 
rived by  the  original  writer  from  the  fiery 
chariot  of  Elias. 

f  And  he  prayed,  &^'C. — The  original  runs 
in  Leabhar  ua  h-Uidliri  (loco  cit.)  as  fol- 


^  In  a  blaze  of  fire. — The  reading  is  nearly     lows  :_Ocup  po  juio  Popmenup  in  com- 


21 


eleven  feet  from  the  ligllt^  and  he  saw  not  a  ray  of  the  sun  or  other 
Hght. 

Dathi  came  to  the  tower.  (He  was  called  Dathi  from  his  expert- 
ness*"  [t)aire]  at  invading  and  shooting,  for  if  there  were  one  hundred 
persons  shooting,  i.  e.  discharging  arrows  or  javelins  at  him,  he 
would  be  protected  against  them  by  the  activity  of  his  hands  in 
guarding,  wherefore  the  name  of  Dathi  clung  unto  him.  Feradhach'* 
was  his  name  when  he  went  to  the  east,  and  it  was  on  his  expedition 
in  the  east  he  was  called  Dathi).  When  the  king's  {i.  e.  Dathi  s)  peo- 
ple saw  the  tower,  they  went  to  demolish  it,  and  they  tore  it  down 
and  plundered  it.  Formenius  felt  the  wind  coming  to  him,  and  God 
raised  him  up  in  a  blaze  of  fire^  one  thousand  paces  from  the  tower 
of  sods  which  he  had  built,  and  he  prayed  for  King  Dathi  that  his 
reign  might  continue  no  longer;  and  he  also  prayed  God  that  his 
monument  or  tomb  might  not  be  remarkable.  The  life  of  Dathi  en- 
dured no  longer  than  until  he  had  the  tower  destroyed,  when  there 
came  a  flash  of  lightning  from  heaven  which  struck  him  dead  on  the 
spot^ 


Dio  na  biuo  plaiciup  Oaci  ni  bao  pia 
inna  pin,  ocup  po  5V.11D  nd  bao  apoaipc  a 
I151.  y\\  pa  bi  cpa  00  paegal  oc  ono 
pig  ace  aipec  po  bdp  oc  cairniec  na  car- 
pac,  in  can  came  paijec  jeldn  do  nun 
cuci  CO  puaip  bdp. 

"  And  Formenus  prayed  God  that  the 
reign  of  Dathi  might  endure  no  longer, 
and  he  also  prayed  that  his  monument 
might  not  be  remarkable.  The  king  en- 
joyed life  only  while  he  was  destroying 
the  tower,  when  a  flash  of  lightning  came 
from  heaven  upon  him,  so  that  he  died.'' 

Keating  gives  the  story  of  the  death  of 


When 

Dathi  as  follows  : — Xjo  jab  Daci,  mac 
Piacpuc,  mic  Gocaoa  niuijiTieaDom,  do 
plot  Gipearhoin,  piogacr  Gipeann  cpi 
bliaona  piceao.  ^va\,  injean  Gacach, 
6  pdiDceap  Cpuacdn  Peile,  an  ceo  Bean 
bi  aige.  (J.n  oapa  bean,  Gicne,  injean 
Opach,  mdcaip  Oiliolla  TTluilc.  0.n 
cpeap  bean  lomoppo,  bi  aije  o'd  n-jaipci 
TJuao,  injean  Qipcij  Llicc-leacam,  mic 
Pipcoriga,  mdraip  Piacpacli  Guljaij, 
agup  ip  D'd  bpeir  puaip  bdp.  Qip 
pliocc  an  t)ari  pi  a  cd  O'Seacnapaij, 
O'tDuboa,  agup  O'h-GiDin.  Peapaouc 
pa  ceao  ainin  oileapoo,  agiipipuime  do 


22 


TTlup  t)o  conTicat)ap  pip  epeann  pin,  t.o  cinppiot)  Sbon^c  pe 
lapa6  1  m-beol  an  pi^,  lonniip  50  paoilpeab  ^a6  aon  50  rm-ber  'n-a 
beacait),  a^up  ^up  ob  1  a  andil  do  beu  a^  ceacc  cap  a  beul.  Q 
oepio  eoluis  Blip  ob  f  an  pai^eaD  pm  D'ap  mapbaD  Miall  l^aoi- 
giallais,  t)o  6e6nm5  Oia  00  popmeniup  t)o  cup,  'n  a  piocbaic,  gup  ob 

t)i  00  TTiapbaD  Oaci. 

Do  cuai6  t)na  popmeninp  m^le  cemenD  o'n  r-Sliab  pin  pfop,  cona6 
ant)  po  an  i  n-aicpep  oile. 

gabap  cpa  amalgam,  mac  Daci,  ceanoup  peap  n-Gpeann,  a^up 
aDnaio  a  araip  lep  ap  lom^ap,  ^iip  po  bpip  naoi  5-cara  pip  pop 
muip,  a^up  oech  ^-cara  pop  cip,  a^up  pe  mapb,  amuil  00  caippen- 
t)ip  a  mumcip  pen  copp  an  pi^,  po  mui^eab  pompa  pop  na  plua^aib 
ceagmaD  piu.  Qce  ano  po  anmana  na  ^-cac  po  meabuib  poirhe, 
.1.  car  Coppaip,  car  Cm^e,  no  car  Cime,  car  Coloim,  car  paile, 
car  rriipcail,  cac  CunDumn,  cac  Coipce,  cac  Hloile,  car  5P^^i"r' 

a^up 


jaipci  t)aci  oe  ap  rapacc  do  ^abao  a 
aipm  Clip  ;  lonann   lomoppo  oairi  agup 
capa,  agup  do  lean  an  popainm  pin  oe. 
Qjup  ip  amlaiD  do   -mapbaD  t)uci,   .1. 
poijnean  ceincioe  do  cuicim  i  n-a  rhul- 
lac  6  neam,  aip  m-beir  60  aj  oeanam 
conjcuip  aip  an  b-Ppainjjc ;  ajup ipldirii 
le  Sliab  Galpa  do  mapbao  e,  cpe  6105- 
alcap  t)e,  map  jup  h-aipjeao  leipouip- 
ceac   Dicpeabaij  naomca,   o'ap  b'ainm 
paptneniup,  le  p'  malluijeao  e  ;  agup 
lap  n-a  mapbaD  amlaiD  pin,  cujaoap  a 
muincep   a   copp   leo    a   n-Bipinn    jup 
h-aolacao  a  "Roilij  na  'Rioj  a  5-Cpua- 
cbain  e. 

Thus  translated  by  Dr.  Lynch,  the  au- 
thor of  Cambrensis  E versus,  in  his  Latin 


translation  of  Keating's  History   of  Ire- 
land : 

"  Post  Niellum  Anno  Domini  405  ex- 

tinctum,  Nepos  ejus,  ex  fratre  Fiachro, 

Dathius  Rex  salutatur,  et  in  ea  dignitate 

viginti  tres  annos  perstitit,  ter  matrimo- 

niojunctus,  primum  Feil^  Echachi  filiae, 

a  qua  Cruachan  Fheile  traxit  denomina- 

tionem ;  Deinde  Ethnte,  Orachi  fili^,  Olilli 

Molti  matri;  demum  Ruadhse,  Arti  Ucht- 

leahoni,   id  est,   Latipectoris,    filise,    qu« 

Fiachum  Elghodium  pariens  interiit.    Ab 

hoc    Dathio    genus     suum     O'Sachnesi, 

O'Douhda,  et  O'Hein  deducunt.    Propri- 

um  ejus   nomen   Faradhachus,   agnomen 

Dathius  erat,  hoc  ideo  ipsi  addito,  quod 

arma  sibi  quam  celerime  induere  solitus 


23 


When  the  men  of  Erin  perceived  this,  they  put  a  Hghted  Sbongc 
\_Spongia?~\  in  the  king's  mouth,  in  order  that  all  might  suppose  that  he 
was  hving,  and  that  it  was  his  breath  that  was  coming  out  of  his  mouth. 
But  the  learned  say  that  it  was  the  same  arrow  with  which  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages  was  slain,  that  God  permitted  Formenius  to  dis- 
charge from  his  bow  that  by  it  Dathi  might  be  Idlled^. 

Formenius  then  went  one  thousand  paces  down  from  that  moun- 
tain, and  there  dwelt  in  another  habitation''. 

Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Dathi',  then  took  the  command  of  the 
men  of  Erin,  and  he  carried^  the  dead  body  of  his  father  with  him, 
and  he  gained  nine  battles  by  sea,  and  ten  battles  by  land  by  means  of 
the  corpse  :  for  when  his  people  exhibited  the  body  of  the  king,  they 
used  to  rout  the  forces  that  opposed  them.  These  are  the  names  of 
the  battles  thus  gained  hy  land,  viz.,  the  battle  of  Corpar,  the  battle  of 
Cinge,  or  Cime,  the  battle  of  Colom,  the  battle  of  Faile,  the  battle  of 
Miscal,  the  battle  of  Lundunn,  the  battle  of  Coirte,  the  battle  of  Mode, 

the 


fuerat,  vox  enim  daithi  celeritatem  signi- 
ficat.  Hie  Galliam  infestavit  armis,  et 
non  procul  ab  Alpium  finibus  turn  ver- 
sabatur,  cum  tactus  de  coelo  animam 
efflavit,  Divino  Numine  poenas  ab  illo  re- 
poscente,  illati  Parmenio  cuidam  viro 
memorabili  sanctimonia  prsedito,  detri- 
menti,  qui  scoelestum  caput  ob  se  violatum 
dira  impreecatione  defixerat.  Sed  cadaver 
a  suis  in  Hiberniam  asportatum  iu  Regum 
sepulcliro  apud  Cruachanum  terrse  man- 
datum  est." 

s  The  learned  say^  8^c This  passage, 

which  differs  so  materially  from  the  pre- 
vious story,  is  not  given  in  Leabhar  na 
h-Uidhri,  but  it  is  in  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
and   in    another  MS.    in  the  Library  of 


Trinity  College,  Dublin,  H.  3,  17. 

**  Formenius  then  went,  c^t. — This  pas- 
sage is  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri,  but  iu  a 
more  modern  hand  inter  lineas. 

'  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Dathi — Leabhar 
na  h-Uidhri  has  the  following  observation 
interlined  here  : — t)a  amaljaio  po  bd- 
cap  ano,  .\.  Qmalgaio,  mac  Piacpac, 
ocupQmaljaio,  mac  Mari,  i.  e.  "there 
were  two  Amhalgaidhs,  viz.,  Amhalgaidh, 
the  son  of  Fiachra,  and  Amhalgaidh,  the 
son  of  Nathi."  From  the  former  the  pre- 
sent barony  of  Tir- Amhalgaidh,  now  An- 
glicised Tirawley,  has  derived  its  name. 

iHe  carried,  Sfc — Qcnaij  a  araip  leip. 
— Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri.  Qrnaij  is  an  an- 
cient verb  signifying  cuj,  i.  e.  he  brought. 


24 

ajuf  car  pe]iniip.  Ip  lat)  pin  u]ia  na  caca  po  Tnui6y'iocna]i  yie  Dari 
cpe  n-a  cojip  oo  raippeunab  Do  na  pluagaib  agiip  pe  Tnapb. 

Uugao  rpd  copp  Ohaui  50  h-Gpmn,  50  po  h-a6naicea6  e  1  Rele^ 
na  Riog  1  5-Cpuacain,  1  bpail  a  pabaccap  pio^paib  pil  6pern6in  t)o 
uprhop.  TTlapb,  umoppo,  QrhalgaiD,  nriac  Daui,  ip  na  Depib  bpeag, 
DO  ^aoib  cp6  na  n-dpD-jon  puaip  ip  na  caraib  pin.  Cona6  1 
m-bpeagaib,  no  1  m-bpeag-rhai^,  acdiD  a  clann  a^up  a  ceneul,  .1. 
CeneuL  m-beccon. 

Dunjal,  pianngup,  Uuaual,  agup  Uomalcac,  ap  laD  pin  an 
cearpap  D'a  aop  gpaDa  uu^  leo  copp  an  pij  Dan.  [Uu^aD  copp 
Dhaci  50  Cpuacain,  ^up  h-aonaiceaD  e  1  Pelg  na  P105  1  5-Cpuac- 
ain,  1  b-pail  a  pabaoap  piojpaiD  Siol  Gpearhoin  Do  uprhop,  aic  a 
b-puil  ^iip  aniu  an  chaippce  6eap5  mup  lia^  op  a  lige  'n-a  leacc,  lairh 
pe  Rair  Cpuacan  gup  anopa  1666].  go  b-puil  pop  lap  Qonai^  na 
Cpuacna,  arhail  po  poillpi^  Uopna  Ggeap  ag  Deapbab  aDlaice 
piojpaiDe  pil  Gpearhoin  d'  peapaib  GpenD  : 

Celip  [ap]  cac  a  Chpuaca  cpoiDeap^,  caoirh-pij^  GpenD,  Dari, 
inac  p^acpac  pial-pi  ap  muip,  ap  cip,  ceapgupcuap  cac  copa  pij 
lach  po  ope;  ap  cac  ni  eel.  Celip  -]c. 

Do  Uhopna  Ggeap  Do  poillpi^eaD  pin  cpe  pipi^eacc  ap  5-cup 

ailjeapa 

^  These  are  the  names^  Sj-c — The  names  Cairrthe  dhearg  is  still  to  be  seen  at  Roilig 

of  these  battles,  with  some  slight  difference  na  Eiogh,  near  Rathcroghan.     It  is  a  pillar 

of  orthography,  are  given  in  Leabhar  na  stone  of  red  grit,  about  nine  feet  in  height, 

h-Uidhri,  but  in  the  margin,    and  in   a  on  a  small  mound,  now  called  Cnocan  na 

hand  somewhat  more  modern  than   the  ^-corjt?,  about  200  paces  to  the  north  of  the 

original  text  of  the  book.  Pagan  cemetery  called  Eoilig  na  Eiogh; 

•  Bunt/al,  Sfc — The  names  of  these  ser-  but  tradition  at  present  has  no  recollec- 

vants  who  carried  home  the  body  of  Dathi  tion  of  its  marking  the  sepulchre  of  Dathi, 

are  also  given  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri.  so  that  the  imprecation  of  Formenius  seems 

™  Cairrthe  dhearg This  passage  en-  to  have  had  its  effect,  when  he  prayed  that 

closed  in  brackets  is  taken  from  our  au-  his  monument  might  not  be  honourable 

thor's  smaller  work,  compiled  in  1 666.  The  or  conspicuous.     No  authority  has  been 


25 

the  battle  of  Grenius,  and  the  battle  of  Fermir".     These  were  the 
battles  gamed  by  Dathi  by  exhibiting  his  dead  body  to  the  hosts. 

The  body  of  Dathi  was  carried  to  Erin,  and  interred  in  Keleo-  na 
Riogh  the  cemetery  of  the  kings,  at  Cruachan,  where  the  kings  of 
the  race  of  Heremon  were,  for  the  most  part,  interred ;  and  Amhal- 
gaidh,  the  son  of  Dathi,  died  in  Deisi  Breagh  of  the  venom  of  the 
deep  wounds  which  he  received  in  the  above  mentioned  battles,  and 
his  tribe  and  progeny  are  in  Bregia,  or  Breaghmhagh,  i.  e.  the  Cineal 
Becon. 

DungaP,  Flannghus,  Tuathal,  and  Tomaltach  were  the  four  ser- 
vants of  trust  who  carried  with  them  the  body  of  the  king.  [The 
body  of  Dathi  was  brought  to  Cruachan,  where  the  kings  of  the  race 
of  Heremon  were,  for  the  most  part,  interred,  where,  to  this  day, 
1666,  the  cairrthe  dhearg",  red  pillar  stone,  remains  as  a  monument 
over  his  grave,  near  Eath  Cruachan.]  That  the  body  of  Dathi  is  in- 
terred in  the  middle  of  Aonach  na  Cruachna  is  attested  by  Torna 
Eigeas,  in  his  poem  pointing  out  the  burial  place  of  the  kings  of  the 
race  of  Heremon  to  the  men  of  Erin. 

"  Thou  hast  concealed  from  all,  0  Cruacha  Croidhearg,  the  fair 
king  of  Erin,  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  a  generous  king  by  sea  and  land; 
all  have  been  informed  that  he  was  killed  in  royal  land ;  from  all  I 
will  not  conceal  it.     Thou  hast,  &c." 

This  was  revealed  to  Torna  Eigeas  through  poetical  inspiration", 

after 

discovered  for  making  this  red  pillar  stone  vivid.     The  Editor  saw  this  stone  in  the 

the  monument  of  this  monarch,  except  the  year  1837,  when  it  was  standing  on  the 

smaller  work,  compiled  in  1 666,  by  Duald  small  mound  already  mentioned  ;  but  it 

Mac  Firbis.     Whether  he  had  any  written  has  since  been  thrown  down  by  the  cattle, 

authority  for  the  fact,  it  is  now,  perhaps,  and  is  now  lying  prostrate,  to  the  disgrace 

impossible  to  determine,  but  the  Editor  of  the  neighbouring  gentry;  the  O'Conors, 

is  of  opinion  that  he  had  no  authority  it  must  be  hoped,  will  restore  it. 

for  it  but  the  tradition  of  the  country,  "  Poetical  inspiration It  was  the  belief 

which  was,   no  doubt,  in  his  time  very  in   Ireland  in  Pagan  times  that  a  poet's 
IRISH  AECH.  SOC.   12.                                     E 


26 


ail^eay^a  o'  peapaib  6]ieanD  pai]i,  im  a  piop  c'ciir  a]i  h-a6naicea6 
Dari,  mac  piacpac,  pi  Gpeant).    Cona  ann  Oo  pijne  Uopna  Ggeap 
an  pirleap5  pa  a^a  beapbab  pin,  agup  po  can  na  pannu  pa : 
Qca  put)-pa  pi  pionn  b-peap  b-pdil, 
Daci,  mac  piacpac,  peap  5pai6, 
Ct  Chpiiaca,  po  celip  pin 
Ctp  ^licilluib,  ap  ^^ictoi'^ealuib. 

Qua  piiD  Oun^alac  t)ian, 
Uug  na  gell  cap  muip  aniap, 
Qua  put),  poillpi^  a  n-t)ar, 
Cono,  Uuaral,  ip  Uomalcac. 

Upi  mec  Garac  peblij  pint), 
Qcait)  aD  rhiip,  map  rhaoibim, 
Qcd  6ocai6  Qipearh  paon 
Qp  na  rhapbao  oo  rhop-TTlhaol. 
Qua  6ocai6  pebleac  plaic 
Put),  agup  Depbpe  6peac-rhair, 


mind  was  capable  of  being  rendered  pro- 
phetic by  the  aid  of  certain  charms  or 
incantations  called  Imbas  for  Osnae,  and 
Teinm  Loeghdha;  for  some  account  of 
■which  see  Battle  of  Magh  Eath,  pp.  46,  47, 
Note  ^  Torna  Eigeas  is  said  to  have  been 
chief  poet  of  Ireland,  and  the  tutor  of  the 
monarch  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  who 
Avas  slain  in  the  year  406. 

°  Ritklearg — Recaipic,  in  Leabhar  na 
h-Uidhri.  It  is  the  name  of  a  kind  of 
metrical  prose  put  into  the  mouths  of 
Druids  and  poets  while  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Teinm  Loeghdha. 

P  3fmi  of  dignity In  the  Book  of  Le- 

can  the  reading  is  peapjaio,  i.  e.  the  fierce 


a^up 

or  angry,  and  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri  it 
is  mo  aij,  i.  e.  of  valour.  These  differences 
are  traceable  to  the  carelessness  of  tran- 
scribers, and  sometimes  to  the  obliterated 
state  of  the  original  MSS.  from  Avhich  the 
copies  were  made;  for  when  the  original 
"was  effaced  or  defective  in  some  Avords  the 
transcribers  often  filled  up  the  blanks 
according  to  their  own  judgment. 

'^  Who  brought  the  hostages,  Sfc In  the 

copy  of  this  poem  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri 
this  line  reads,  cue  in  pig  cap  muip  na 
pian,  i.  e.  who  brought  the  king  over  the 
sea  of  roads,  and  this  is  obviously  the  true 
reading. 

"■  Reveal  their  appearance. — In  Leabhar 


27 

after  lie  had  been  requested  by  the  men  of  Erin  to  discover  where 
Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  king  of  Erin,  was  interred ;  so  that  it  was  on 
this  occasion  Torna  Eigeas  composed  this  rithlearg°  above  given  to 
prove  it ;   and  he  composed  also  the  following  quatrains : 

"  Under  thee  lies  the  fair  king  of  the  men  of  Fail, 
Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  man  of  dignity^ ; 
O  Cruacha,  thou  hast  concealed  this 
From  the  strangers,  from  the  Gaels. 

Under  thee  is  Dungalach  the  vehement, 
Who  brought  the  hostages'^  over  the  boisterous  sea ; 
Under  thee  are,  reveal  their  appearance"", 
Conn,  Tuathal,  and  Tomaltach. 

The  three  sons  of  Eochaidh  Feidhleach^  the  fair, 
Are  in  thy  mound,  as  I  boast. 
As  also  is  Eochaidh  Aireamh^  feeble. 
Having  been  slain  by  the  great  Maol. 
The  prince  Eochaidh  Feidhleach  is 

Beneath  thee,  and  Derbhre"*  of  goodly  aspect, 

And 

nah-Uidhri,  pallpi  gee  par,  of  well-known  Part  III.  c.  44,  p.  271),  who  states  that 

prosperity.  he  was  killed  by  lightning  at  Fremoinn,  a 

«  The  three  sons  0/ Eochaidh  Feidhleach. —  hill  in  Teffia,  in  Westmeath  (now  Frawin 

Eochaidh  Feidhleach  was  monarch  of  Ire-  HiU,  to  the  north  of  MuUingar) ;  but,  ac- 

land,   according  to  O'Flaherty's  Chrono-  cording  to  Keating,  he  was  slain  at  the 

logy,   A.M.   3922,   and  had  three  sons,  same  place,  by  a  warrior  called  Siodhmhall, 

Breas,  Nar,  and  Lothar,  and  six  dangh-  which  perhaps  should  be  written  Sidhmaol, 

ters,  Mughain,  File,  Meadhbh,  Deirbhre,  as  in  this  very  ancient  poem  the  slayer  of 

Clothra,  and  Eithne,  who  are  all  much  this  monarch  is  called  the  great  Maol. 
celebrated  in  Irish  romance.  "  Derbhre is  written tDpebpiu  in Leabhar 

'  Eochaidh  Aireamh He  was  brother  na  h-Uidhri,  and  incorrectly  called  Deir- 

ofEochaidh  Feidhleach,  and  succeeded  him  dria  by  O'Flaherty  (Ogyg.  p.  267).     She 

as  monarch  of  Ireland,  A.  M.  3934,  accord-  was  pne  of  the  six  daughters  of  the  mo- 

ing  to  O'Flaherty's  Chronology ;  (Ogygia,  narch  Eochaidh  Feidhleach. — See  Note  ^ 

E2 


28 


Q^^r  Clorjia,  ni  cem  aipg, 
Q^up  TTleabb,  a^up  muijieapj. 

Gpe,  po6la,  a^up  banba, 
Upi  h-65-TTina  ailne,  arhjia, 
Qcait)  1  5-C]iuacain  na  ^-clann, 
Ujii  pio^na  Uhuctu  Oe  Oanann. 

Ujii  mec  Ceapmaoa  a  Sir  U]iuim, 
Q^up  LujaiD  a  Ciacjiuim, 
Clqnt)  Qoba,  mic  an  DajDa, 
Qgup  niiDip  Tn6|i-calTYia. 

Qca  poD  I15  na  luiDe 
Cobrac  Caol  ip  Ugome, 
Q^up  babbcab,  pem  50  par, 
bparaip  00  U^oine  nallac. 

Clano  pebliTTiio  Peccrhaip  pain, 


^  Clothra She  was    anotlier    of  the 

daughters  of  Eochaidh  Feidhleach,  and 
gave  name  to  the  island  of  Inis  Clothrann, 
in  Lough  Ree,  an  expansion  of  the  Shan- 
non between  Athlone  and  Lanesboroutjh. 

o 

"'  Meadhbh,  Latinized  Mauda  by  O'Fia- 
herty,  and  pronounced  Meave.  She  was 
another  daughter  of  Eochaidh  Feidhleach, 
and  a  most  celebrated  character  in  Pagan 
Irish  history,  who  is  still  vividly  remem- 
bered in  the  traditions  of  the  country. 

^  Muiren.tff. —  She  was  a  daughter  of 
Hugony  Mor,  monarch  of  Ireland,  A.  ]M. 
3619.  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  16,^,  b. 

^  Eire,  Fodkla,  and  Banba,  8fc Ac- 
cording to  all  the  accounts  of  the  Tuatha 
De  Dananns,  these  were  the  three  Qyeens 
of  the  Tuatha  De  Dananns  at  the  arrival 


of  the  Milesian  or  Scotic  colony  from 
Spain. — See  Keating's  History  of  Ireland, 
where  almost  all  the  liardic  accounts  of 
them  are  collected. 

^  The  three  sons  of  Cearmad.  —  These 
were  the  three  Tuatha  De  Danann  kings 
who  ruled  Ireland  at  the  period  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Milesian  or  Scotic  colony. 
They  were  the  husbands  of  the  three 
queens  above  mentioned. 

^  Sith  Truim,  or  Sith  druim. — This,  ac- 
cording to  Keating,  was  the  ancient  name 
of  the  rock  of  Cashel. 

*•  Litghaidh,  i.  e.  Lughaidh  Lamhfhada, 
or  Lughaidh  the  Long-handed,  king  of 
the  Tuatha  De  Dananns,  a  character  much 
celebrated  in  ancient  Irish  stories  (see 
Ogygia,  Part  III.  c.  1 3),  and  still  the  hero 


29 


And  Clothra",  no  small  honour  to  thee, 
And  Meadlibh'^,  and  Muireasg''. 

Eire,  Fodlila,  and  Banba^ 
Three  beauteous,  famous  young  women, 
Are  m  Cruachan  of  clans, 
Three  queens  of  the  Tuatha  De  Dananns. 

The  three  sons  of  Cearmad^  of  Sith  Truim^ 
And  Lughaidh^  of  Liatruim'', 
The  sons  of  Aodh,  son  of  the  Daghda'*, 
And  Midir^  the  great  and  brave. 

Beneath  thy  stone  are  l}^ng 
Cobhthach  Caol*^  and  Ugaine^ 
And  Badhbhchadh  of  prosperous  career, 
Brother  of  the  haughty  Ugaine. 

The  sons  of  the  noble  Feidhlimidh  Reachtmhar^ 


And 


of  many  traditions. 

'^  Liatniim.  —  Tliis  Avas  one  of  the  an- 
cient names  of  Tara  Hill,  in  Meath. — See 
Dinnseanclius  and  O'Flalierty's  Ogygia, 
Part  III.  c.  $s- 

^  Daghda — He  was  King  of  the  Tuatha 
De  Dananns  for  forty  years,  and  is  much 
celebrated  in  Irish  stories. 

^  Mldir. — He  was  the  son  of  Daghda, 
and  is  much  celebrated  in  Irish  stories  as 
Midir  of  Bri  Leith,  a  hill  near  Ardagh,  in 
the  present  county  of  Longford,  where  it 
was  believed  his  spirit  continued  to  reside 
long  after  his  death.  There  is  a  very  cu- 
rious romance  about  this  personage  in 
Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri,  which  preserves  one 
of  the  oldest  poems  in  the  Irish  language. 


f  Cobhthach  Crto/._He  is  generally  called 
Cobhthach  Caol  m-Breagh,  i.  e.  Cobhthach 
the  Slender,  of  Bregia.  He  was  the  son  of 
Ugaine,  or  Hugony  the  Great,  and  monarch 
of  Ireland  in  the  year  of  the  World  3665. 

s  Ugaine He  was  a  celebrated  monarch 

of  Ireland  of  the  Scotic  or  Milesian  colony, 
and  ascended  the  throne  in  the  year  of  the 
World  3619,  according  to  O'Flaherty's 
Chronology. 

^  Feidhlimidh  Reachtmhar,  or  Felimy 
the  Lawgiver.  He  was  monarch  of  Ire- 
land early  in  the  second  century.  For 
some  account  of  him  see  Keating's  History 
of  Ireland,  O'Flaherty's  Ogygia,  p.  306, 
and  Colgan's  Trias  Thaum.  p.  447. 


3° 


Ip  clant)  Chuint)  ip  in  j-cortiOail, 
Qcc  Qjic  ip  CojiTYiac  na  -g-cat; 
Oeapb  5U|i  celip  a  Chpuaca. 
Qn  naorh,  ap  ro^ail  a  rhuiji, 
Q  t)ubai]in  ppif  i  n-a  jiiinn, 
Q  lige  an  laoic-pi  ana 
Na  ba6  oipoejic  a  Chpuaca. 


'  T/ie  descendants  of  Conn,  i.  e.  Conn 
of  the  Hundred  Battles,  wlio  became  mo- 
narcli  of  Ireland  in  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
177. — See  Keating  and  O'Flaherty's  Ogy- 
gia.  Part  HI.  c.  60,  p.  313. 

3  Art. — He  was  the  son  of  Conn  of  the 
Hundred  Battles,  and  monarch  of  Ireland 
in  the  early  part  of  the  third  century.  It 
is  stated  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri  that  this 
monarch  was  converted  to  Christianity 
and  interred  at  Trevet  in  Meath. 

^  Cormac. — He  was  the  son  of  Art,  and 
is  generally  styled  O'Cuinn,  as  being  the 
grandson  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles. 
He  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  of  the 
Irish  monarchs,  and,  according  to  Leabhar 
na  h-Uidhri,  embraced  the  Christian  faith 
to  the  great  annoyance  of  his  druids,  and 
was  interred  at  Eos  na  riogh  (now  Eosna- 
ree,  near  Slane,  in  the  county  of  East 
Meath).  Keating  adds  that  St.  Columb- 
kille  afterwards  came  to  this  place,  and 
said  three  masses  over  the  grave  of  his 
royal  ancestor. 

'  The  saint  after  the  destruction  of  his 
walls — In  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri  the  last 
line  of  this  quatrain  reads  better  thus : 


Qua. 

Dari, 

Ml  bao  apoaipc,  a  Chpuaco.  This  qua- 
train is  evidently  misplaced,  for  it  relates 
to  Formenius  the  Eremite  and  the  monarch 
Dathi.  It  should  be  introduced  after  the 
first  quatrain ;  but  as  it  is  given  last  in 
all  the  copies,  even  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri, 
a  manuscript  of  the  twelfth  century,  the 
Editor  does  not  feel  himself  at  liberty  to 
alter  its  position.  Keating,  in  his  History 
of  Ireland  (reign  of  Cormac  O'Cuinn), 
quotes  a  considerable  portion  of  this  poem, 
which  shall  be  here  given,  that  the  reader 
may  have  the  advantage  of  Dr.  Lynch's 
Latin  translation  of  it. 

Dd  ppforii-poilij,  lomoppa,  do  Bi  a 
n-Sipinn  a  nalloD,  a  n-aunpip  na  pagan- 
cacca,  in-ag-cuiprf  upmop  pfojGipeann, 
map  aca  6pu5  na  66inne,  aj^up  T^oilij 
na  pioj,  IdiTTi  pe  Cpuucain.  Tp  poUup 
jup  B'lonao  aolaicce  do  pfojaib  ©ipeann 
6puj  na  66inne  ap  an  peancap  ruap; 
agup  ip  DeapB  jup  B'lonao  coirceann 
aolaicre  do  piojaiB  ©ipeann  Roilij  na 
pfoj,  a  j-Cpuacain,  do  peip  Chopha 
Sigeap  'yan  laoiD  po  piop  am'  6iai6  : 
Qca  puc-pa  pig  pionn  pail, 
Daci  mac  Piacpac  peapguio  ; 


31 


And  the  descendants  of  Conn'  are  in  the  assembly, 

(Excepting  Art^  and  Cormac''  of  battles) ; 

It  is  certain  that  thou  hast  concealed  them,  0  Cruacha. 

The  saint  [i.  e.  Formem'us],  after  the  destruction  of  his  walls', 
Said  to  him  [i.  e.  to  Dathi],  with  prophetic  spirit, 
'  May  not  this  hero's  monument 
Be  conspicuous ;'  0  Cruacha ! 

Under,"  &c. 


Q  Chpuaca,  po  ceilip  poin 
Qp  ^hallaib,  ap  ^haooaloib. 
Qca  pur,  tDun^aluc  oian, 
Cuj  na  jeiU  cap  muip  aniap  ; 
Qca  puc,  poiUpij  a  n-oac. 
Conn,  Uuaral  ip  Comalcac. 
Cpi  mic  ©acac  peioli^  pmn 
Qcdio  pdo'  rriup,  map  rriaoiDim  ; 
Qcd  GocaiD  Qipearii  paon, 
lap  n-a  rhapBao  le  mop  IDhaol. 
Qcct  GocaiD  peioleac  plaic 
puc,  ip  Deipbpij  Deaj^-rhaic, 
Qgup  Clocpa,  ni  ceim  apj, 
Qjup  meaob,  ajup  TTIupapj^. 
6ipe,  poola  ajup  6anba, 
Cpi  h-65-rhnd  dilne,  ariipa, 
Qcdio  a  j-Cpuacain  na  5-clann, 
Cpiap  ban  do  Uhuacaib  De  tDanann. 
Upi  mJc  Ceapmaoa  d  Sicopuim, 
Qjup  Cujaio  d  Ciacpuim 
Clann  Qooa,  mic  an  t)aJDa, 
Qgup  mioip  mop-calma. 
Qca  poD  I15  'n-a  lu'oe 
Cobrac  Caol  ip  Uguine, 
Qgup  6a6bca6,  peim  50  par, 
Qjup  Ollarh  apo,  uallac. 

Thus  translated  by  Lynch,  the  author 


Dathi 

of  Cambrensis  Eversus  : 

"  Duo  quondam  pr^cipuse  notas  sepul- 
chra  in  Hibernia  extitere,  dum  ei  adhuc 
Paganism!  tenebree  offunderentur,  in  qui- 
bus  plerique  Hibernige  reges  terrte  man- 
dabantur,  Bruigum,  scilicet,  prope  Boinum 
amnem,    et    Cgemiterium    Eegum    prope 
Cruachanum  :  in  illo  Teamorige  reges  se- 
peliri   soliti  sunt.     Hoc  autem  omnibus 
Hiberniee     Regibus     inhumandis     vulgo 
prostitutum  fuisse   Turnus  Egius  fidem 
his  carminibus  facit : 
"  O  Cruachana,  tua  super  tellure  recondis 
Indigenarum  oculis  peregrinorumque  remotum 
Insignem  heroem,  candentemque  ora  Dahihum, 
Progenitum  Fiachro  Regem  glacialis  lernw, 
Et  Dungalachum  prsestantem  viribus,  hostis 
Trans  mare  qui  prsedas  duxit,  formaque  decoros 
Tumultach,  Conum,  Tuathulum  tres  et  Eochi 
Feidaloehi  nivei  natos,  sub  eolle  repostos, 
Quos  cognosco,  tuo,  quibus  est  adjunutus  Eoclius 
Araimus  dextra  Mormoli  csesus,  Eochiis 
Prseterea  Fedlach,  necnon  Derbrecha  decora 
Clothraque,  MebhasimulcumMursca  cedit  honori 
Non  modico,  Cruachana,  tibi  resista,  sepulchro. 
Tu  quoque  condis  Eram,Follam  Banbamque  venusta 
Oris  conspicuas  specie,  tres  natio  misit 
Quse  Tuadedonan,  Carmodi  et  pignora  trina, 
Qui  coluit  villam  Sithrum  ac  ossa  Lugadi, 


32 

Dari,  UTnojipo,  cerpe  mec  piceat)  ai^e,  .^.  Oilioll  TTlolr,  l?i 
Gjieann,  a^viy  Qlban,  peap  Do  rabaij  an  bhoporha  pa  rpi  ^an  car; 
a^up  piacpa  Galeae,  6  t)-caio  Ui  piacpac  TTluaibe,  agup  il-ceneula 
ele;  Gocam  bjieac  6  o-cdiD  Ui  Gaclium  TTluaibe  agup  Ui  pinac- 
pac  Qibne ;  agup  GocaiD  meanD,  a^up  piacpa  mac  Oari  ap  e  po 
baoi  1  n-^ellpine  ag  Niall  Naoi^iallac,  ajiip  ap  ua6a  Ui  phiacha, 
no  piiiacpac,  Cuile  pabaip,  i  TTIiDe.  Gape,  Cope,  Onbecc, 
beccon,  TTlac  Uaip,  Qongiip  Larh-patia,  Caral,  paolchu,  o  t>-caiD 
Ui  paolcon;  Dun^al,  Conpac,  Neapa,  Cfrhalgaib  mac  Dan,  6 
ti-cao  Cineul  m-beccon,  i  m-bpeagaib  beop,  no  i  m-bpea^mui^. 
[beprep  beop  ^enelac  Clomne  pipbipi^  ^up  an  Qrhal^aib  pm.] 
blacab  no  blabcab,  Cugarhna,  6  o-caio  TTlec  Conjamna,  la  Cmeul 
pecm  ;  a^up  QoD  6  ti-caiD  Lli  Qo6a  la  boipinD. 

Oilioll  niolc,  mac  Oari,  mac  Doipen  Ceallac,  acaip  Gojain 
belli,  a^up  Oilealla  lonbanoa,  t)d  pij;  Clionnachc. 

Gojan  beul,  umoppo,  Da  mac  lai]\  .i.  Ceallac,  ap  a  n-oeapnab 
an  mapcpa  mop,  .i.  a  cearpa  corhbalcaba  pen  b'a  rhapbab  a  pill  i 

n-QpD 


Qui  Liatrim  coluit :   necnon  quos  gignit  Aldus 
Progenitus  Dagao,  cum  bellatore  Midiro, 
Cobthachum  Tenuem  tegis  Ugonemque  sub  herba, 
Heroesque  alios  Badbachum,  copia  rerum 
Cui  fuit,  OUamumque  animis  ingentibus  altum." 

™  Twenty-four  sons It  is  strange,  How- 
ever, that  only  twenty  are  given  by  name. 

"  Oilioll  Molt. — He  succeeded  Laoghaire, 
the  son  of  Niall,  and  was  monarch  of  Ire- 
land for  twenty  years,  and  died  A.  D.  483. 

°  IVie  Borumean  tribute — This  Avas  a 
very  exorbitant  mulct  on  the  people  of 
Leinster,  said  to  have  been  first  imposed 
by  the  monarch  Tuathal  Teach tmhar,  A.  D. 
144.  It  was  paid  with  great  reluctance  till 


the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  Finnachta 
Fleadhach,  and  was  the  cause  of  much 
bloodshed,  as  the  Lagenians  seldom  con- 
sented to  the  payment  without  a  battle. 
It  was  finally  remitted  in  the  year  693,  by 
Finnachta,  at  the  request  of  St.  Moling, 
to  the  great  annoyance  of  the  magnates  of 
the  Hy-Niall  race.  The  monarch  Brian, 
the  ancestor  of  the  O'Briens  of  Thomond, 
afterwards  renewed  this  impost,  for  which 
he  received  his  Avell  known  appellation 
of  Brian  Borumha.  A  historical  tract  on 
the  Origin  and  History  of  the  Borumean 
Tribute  is  preparing  for  publication  by 
the  Irish  Archaeological  Society. 


33 

Dathi  had  twenty-four  sons'",  namely,  OilioU  Molt",  King  of  Erin 
and  Alba,  and  a  man  who  exacted  the  Borumean  tribute"  thrice  with- 
out a  battle ;  Fiachra  Ealgach,  from  whom  the  Hy-Fiachrach  of  the 
Moy,  and  various  other  tribes  are  descended;  Eochaidh  Breac,  from 
whom  are  sprung  the  Hy-Eachach  of  the  Moy,  and  the  Hy-Fiachrach 
Aidhne;  Eochaidh  Meann;  Fiachra  Mac  Dathi,  who  was  detained 
as  a  hostage  by  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  and  from  whom  the  Hy- 
Fiacha,  or  Hy-Fiachrach,  of  Cuil  Fabhair'',  in  Meath,  are  descended ; 
Earc;  Core;  Onbecc;  Beccon;  Mac  Uais;  Aongus  the  Long-handed; 
Cathal ;  Faolchu,  from  whom  are  the  Ui  Faolchon ;  Dunghal ;  Con- 
rach ;  Neara ;  Amhalgaidh  Mac  Dathi,  from  whom  are  the  Cineal 
m-Beccon,  in  Bregia,  or  Breagh-mhuigh^.  [The  pedigree  of  the 
Clann-Firbis""  is  also  traced  to  this  Amhalgaidh.]  Blachadh,  or 
Bladhcadh;  Cugamhna,  from  whom  are  the  Mac  Congamhnas,  in 
Cineal  Fechin* ;  and  Aodh,  from  whom  are  sprung-  the  Hy-Aodha, 
in  Boirinn^ 

Oilioll  Molt,  the  son  of  Dathi,  had  a  son  Ceallach,  the  father  of 
Eoghan  Beul,  and  of  Oiholl  lonbhanda,  two  kings  of  Connaught"". 

Eoghan  Beul  had  two  sons,  namely,  Ceallach,  on  whom  the  atro- 
cious murder  was  committed,  that  is,  his  own  four  foster-brothers 
killed  him  treacherously  at  Ard  an  fhenneadha,  at  the  instigation  of 

Guaire 

P  Cuil  Fabhair This  place  was  near  of  the  present  county  of  Galway,  compri- 

Fore,  in  the  county  of  "Westmeath.  sing  a  considerable  portion  of  the  barony 

•1  ^re«9'/?»z^?/?^^,  a  rich  plain  comprising  of  Leitrim. — See  Map  in  the  Tract  on 

the  greater  portion  of  the  present  county  Hy-Many. 
of  East  Meath.  '  Boirinn,  now  Burren,  a  rocky  barony 

"■  \_The  pedigree  of  the  Clann  Firbis. —  in  the  north-west  of  the  county  of  Clare. 
This  passage  is  supplied  from  Duald  Mac         "  Kings  of  Connanght. — For  the  periods 

Firbis's  smaller  work  compiled  in  the  year  at  which  these  kings  reigned,  see  list  of 

1666.  the  Kings  of  Connaught  towards  the  end 

*  Cineal  Fechin,  a  territory  in  the  soiTth  of  this  volume. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  F 


34 

r.-Qpo  an  phenneaba,  rpe  pupdil  ^huaijie,  rhic  ColTnam,  cpe 
popmao  iTTi  ceann  na  jii^e,  agup  Cucoinselu,  inac  Gogain,  an  mac 
ele,  ap  e  pop  imapb  corhbalcaba  Ceallai^,  rpep  an  pion^ail,  .1. 
TTlaolcpoin,  TTlaolpeanai^,  TTlaolGalua,  ajup  TTlac  (no  TTlaol) 
Oeopui6.  No,  ap  e  a  pia^ab  t)o  pona6  a^  Sal  Spora  Dep^,  ppip 
a  n-abaprap  TTIiiam,  a^up  ap  iiabaib  aca  Qpt)  na  pia^  ap  an 
cului^  6y  rriiiaiD,  agup  QpD  na  ITIaol  ainm  na  culca,  1  n-ap  li-a6- 
laiceab  lao,  leau  call  oo'n  c-ppuic. 


c^QHt)  eochamii  6hT?ic,  mic  oach],  awt)  so  sis. 

6ocai6  bpeac,  mac  Oaci,  ceupe  mec  lep,  .1.  Lao^aipe,  6pece, 
Qilgile,  agiip  Gogan  Qibne. 

bpece,  mac  Gacac  bpic,  clann  laip,  .1.  TTluolpaiuce,  6  D-cdiD 
Uf  ITlaoilaicen ;  bpottub,  6  t)-cdm  U(  bpoouib;  bpeanamo  6  o-cdm 
Uf  nriaoilbpenuinn,  ajup  Ui  Chpeacain.  Qp  t)o  clomn  bpeunumo, 
rhic  bpere,  na  cpi  Ui  Suanaij,  .1.  pmmume,  piobaiple,  a^up  Pi6- 
gupa,  no  pioO^up,  cpi  mec 

piobbaDoi^, 


*  Sal  SrotJia  Derg,  an  ancient  name  of 
the  River  Moy. 

"'  Ard  na  riagh,  now  Ardnarea,  a  village 
on  the  east  side  of  the  River  Moy,  in  the 
barony  of  Tireragh  and  county  of  Sligo. 
This  village,  which  may  be  now  considered 
as  a  suburb  to  the  town  of  Ballina,  is  con- 
nected with  it  by  a  bridge  over  the  River 
Moy  ;  but  the  locality  originally  called 
Ard  na  riagh,  i.  e.  the  hill  of  executions, 
immediately  adjoins  the  village  to  the 
south,  and  is  now  generally  called  the 
Castle  Hill,  from  a  castle  which  formerly 
stood  u.pon  it. 


^  Ard  na  Maol,  i.  e.  height  or  hill  of  the 
Maols,  i.  e.  where  the  four  youths  whose 
names  began  with  the  word  Maol  were 
interred.  For  a  more  circumstantial  ac- 
count of  the  execution  and  interment  of 
the  four  Maols,  see  Dinnseanchus  in  the 
Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  246.  The  monument 
raised  over  these  you. ths  is  still  in  existence, 
and  sittiated  on  a  hill  on  the  west  side  of 
the  River  Moy,  nearly  opposite  the  hill  of 
Ard  na  riagh,  in  the  parish  of  Kilmore- 
Moy  and  barony  of  Tirawley,  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  south  of  the  town  of  Ballina. 
It  is  a  remarkable  Cromlech  supported  by 


35 

Guaire  Aiclhne,  son  of  Colman,  througli  envy  about  the  sovereignty ; 
and  Cuchongelt  Mac  Eoghain,  the  other  son,  was  he  who  slew  the 
foster-brothers  of  Ceallach  in  revenge  for  their  fratricide  ;  they  were 
Maolcroin,  Maolseanaigh,  Maoldalua,  and  Mac  (or  Maol)  deoraidh. 
Or,  according-  to  others,  these  were  hanged  at  the  river  of  Sal  Srotha 
Derg\  which  is  called  the  Muaidh,  and  it  was  from  them  the  hill 
over  the  Muaidh  was  called  Ard  na  riogh'';  and  Ard  na  Maol''  is 
the  name  of  the  hill  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream,  where  they  were 
interred. 

THE  DESCENDANTS  OF  EOCHAIDH  BREAC,  THE  SON  OF  DATHI,  DOWN  HERE. 

Eochaidh  Breac,  the  son  of  Dathi,  had  four  sons,  namely,  Laogh- 
aire,  Brethe,  Ailghile,  and  Eoghan  Aidhne. 

Brethe,  the  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  had  issue,  viz.,  Maolfaithche, 
from  whom  are  the  famili/  o/0'Maoilaichen^ ;  Brodubh,  from  whom 
are  the  famili/  of  O'Broduibh" ;  Breanainn,  from  whom  are  the  family/ 
of  0'Maoilbreanainn%  and  the  famili/  0/ 0'Creachain^  Of  the  de- 
scendants of  Breanainn,  the  son  of  Brethe,  were  the  three  O'Sua- 
naighs,  namely,  Fidhmuine,  Fiodhairle,  and  Fidhgusa,  or  Fiodhgus; 

ivho  were  the  three  sons  of 

Fiodhbhadach, 

three  pillar  stones,  and  fixed  as  level  as  a  side  of  the  Moy  opposite  Ard  na  riagh, 
horizontal  dial.     It  is  now  popularly  called  leaves  no  doubt  of  its  identity, 
the  Table  of  the  Giants  by  the  natives  ^  0'' Maoilaichen,  now  unknown, 
when    speaking   English,    and  Clock    an  z  0''Broduibh,  not  known. 
togbhala,  i.  e.  the  raised  stone,  in  Irish.  *  0'' Maoilbkreanainn,  noAV  always  angli- 
This   is   the   only   Cromlech   in   Ireland  cised  Mulrenin  ;  the  name  is  numerous 
which  can  be  satisfactorily  connected  with  in  many  parts  of  the  province  of  Con- 
history.     In  the  Dinnseanchus  this  monu-  naught. 

ment  is  called  Leacht  na  Maol,  and  said  to  ''  O'Creachain  is  probably  the  name  now 

occupya/o/i'j/s«VMa^?o?z,  which,  coupled Avith  anglicised  Creaghan  and  Greahan. 
the  description  of  its  sitiiation  on  the  other 

F2 


36 

pioDbaooi^, 
rrnc  ConDuilig,  nnc  6]ienuinn, 

TTiic  Comain,  mic  6|iece, 

TTiic  Suariai^,  rmc  Gacac  bpic, 

TTiic  Cpeacain  TTiuame,  mic  Oaci,  pi^  Gpeann. 

imc  6]iui6e, 

peaparhla,  injean  Oioma  Ouib,  mic  Dia]iTnat)a,  nmc  Seanai^, 
TYiic  Lao5;ai|ie,  nmc  Gacac  b]nc,  mic  Dan,  maraip  na  D-cpf  Ua 
Suanai^.  dgup  ap  f  mdraip  Qobain  CTiluana  Gocaille,  'ya 
Chopann,  a^up  ap  f  maraip  Oiclere  Ui  Uhpiallai^pa  li-diupeb  pil 
1  5-cpfc  Ciappaige  Luacpa,  agup  ap  f  mauaip  Colmain,  mic  Garac, 
pil  1  Seanborac,  1  n-lb  Cenpiolui^.  Coni6  laD  pin  naoirh  Ua  n-Gau- 
ach  TTluaibe.  Qp  pliocu  Gacac  bhpic,  rhic  Daci,  acd  Colman  agup 
C[o6an.     Naoim  imoppo  pil  Gacac  bpic,  .1. 

Colman, 
mac  Duac,  6  o-cd  Ceall  TTlliic    mic  ^oibnenn, 

Ouac,  mic  Conaill, 

mic  Qinmipeac,  mic  Go^ain  Qi6ne, 

mic  Conaill,  mic  Gacac  bpic, 

mic  Cobrai^,  mic  Daci. 

Q^up  na  rpi  Ui  Suanaig  ace  anD  po  a  n-^abdla,  .i.  pmmuine  1 
l?aruin,  pmaiple  1  5-Cionu  c-Sdile,  agup  pfobgup  i  n-5lc(p-cappui5. 

Qp 

•^  The  Three  O'Suanaighs — These  were  Mount  Leinster,  in  the  barony  of  Scara- 

three  saints  of  some  celebrity  in  Irish  walsh  and  county  of  Wexford.  The  country 

history.  anciently  called  Hy-Cinsellaigh  comprised 

^  Cluain  Eochaille,  now  Cloonoghill,  in  the  entire  of  the  present  county  of  "Wexford, 

a  parish  of  the  same  name,  barony  of  Cor-  and  parts  of  those  of  Carlow  and  Wicklow. 

ran  and  county  of  Sligo.  f  Ceall  mhic  Duach,  i.  e.  the  church  of 

^  Sean  bhothach,  called  Sean  boithe  Sine  the  son  of  Duach,  now  Kilmacduagh,  in 

in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  ad  ann.  the  barony  of  Kil tartan,  in  the  south-west 

601,  now  Templeshanbo,  i.  e.  the  church  of  the  county  of  Gal  way. 

oiSean  boithe  ;  it  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  ^  Rathain,  generally  called  Eathain  Ui 


37 


son  of  Brenainn, 

son  of  Brethe, 

son  of  Eocliaidh  Breac, 

son  of  Datlii,  King  of  Erin. 


Fiodlibliadftcli, 
son  of  Cuduiligli, 
son  of  Coman, 
son  of  Suanach, 
son  of  Creachan  of  the  Moy, 
son  of  Bruidhe, 

Fearamhla,  the  daughter  of  Dioma  Dubh,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son 
of  Seanach,  son  of  Laoghaire,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  son  of  Dathi, 
was  the  mother  of  the  three  O'Suanaighs".  She  was  also  the  mother 
of  Aodlian,  of  Cluain  Eochaille^  in  Corann,  and  of  St.  Dichlethe 
O'Triallaigh,  whose  habitation  is  in  the  country  of  Ciarraighe  Luachra. 
And  she  was  the  mother  of  St.  Colman,  the  son  of  Eochaidh,  who 
is,  i.  e.  lies  interred  at  Sean  bhothach",  in  Hy-Censiolaigh ;  and 
these  are  the  saints  of  the  Hy-Eathach,  of  the  Moy.  Of  the  race  of 
Eochaidh  Breac,  son  of  Dathi,  are  the  Saints  Colman  and  Aodhan. 
The  following  are  the  saints  of  the  race  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  viz. : 

Colman, 


son  of  Duach,  from  whom  Ceall 

mhic  Duach*^, 
son  of  Ainmire, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Cobhthach, 


son  of  Goibhnenn, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Eoghain  Aidhne, 
son  of  Eochaidh, 
son  of  Dathi. 


Also  the  three  O'Suanaighs,  already  mentioned,  who  were  es- 
tablished at  the  following  places,  viz.,  Fidhmuine,  at  Rathain^; 
Fidhairle,  at  Cionn  Saile" ;  and  Fiodhgus,  at  Glas-charraig'. 


Shuanaigli  in  the  Irish  Annals,  now  Rahen, 
in  the  barony  of  Ballycowan  and  King's 
County,  and  about  five  miles  to  the  west 
of  the  town  of  TuUamore.  There  are  re- 
mains of  two  very  ancient  churches  at  this 
place,  of  which  a  minute  description  is 
given  in  Mr.  Petrie's  Essay  on  the  Round 


It 

Towers  of  Ireland.  The  death  of  Fidh- 
muine, who  is  called  anchorite  of  Rathain, 
is  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  at  the  year  750. 

^  Cionn  Saile,  now  Kinsale,  a  well-known 
town  in  the  south  of  the  county  of  Cork. 

'  Glascharraig.,  i.  e.  the  green  rock,  now 


38 

df  e  umoppo  Diclere  Ua  Upiallcnj,  t)'d  n-^oipreap  Upiallac, 
po  euloiD  6  Uhip  Qrhalgaib  50  Ofp'opc  Ui  Upiallai^,  ap  bpu 
Capdin  Ciappai^e ;  a^up  ap  aip  t)o  pona6  an  rhiopbuile  rhop  ;  Oia 
paibe  a^  upiall  mnrecra  6  rhacaiba  rhduap  pop  eacrpa  t)'iappai6  in 
Chorh6ea6,  ^up  ^abaoap  e,  a^iip  ^up  cuibpi^piot)  a^  cop  glaip 
lapoinn  et)ip  a  ceann  a^iip  a  copa,  a^up  t)o  cuipeab  eocaip  an 
^laip  ip  m  paipp^e.  Q^up  ^aba^'  bpaodn  an  eocaip  ina  beol, 
gup  ylm-g  1.  Gulaip  'Cpiallac  pop  an  eachcpa  1  5-cupac  ^an  cobail, 
.1.  gan  cpoicionn,  ap  an  paipp^e  cimcioll  Gpeann  piap,  a^up  an 
glap  eoip  a  ceann  a^up  a  copa,  50  pctinig  ap  bpu  Ciappai^e  Cnacpa, 
a^up  bpaoan  na  h-eocpac  i  ^-coirhoeacc  an  clepi^,  ^up  ^ab  pope 
(rpe  pupuacc  n-Oe),  1  n-Oi)'iopc  Ui  Upiallai^,  ap  bpu  Capdm 
Ciappai^e,  co  na  pet)at)ap  a  bpdicpeca  nd  a  chineaD  ca  leac  Do 
cuai6. 

Do  cuaiD  lapam  Ua  Suanai^  a^np  Qoban  t)o  lappam  rhic  a 
marap,  naip  nfp  peaDaoap  a  6iol  na  a  6iac,  50  b-puaippiot)  e  a^  an 
Dipiopc,  agiip  a  ^lap  paip,  eoip  a  ceann  a^up  a  copa,  a^up  pe  o'd 
biclet  ap  na  clepcib  bdoap  t)'a  lappaib.  Nip  cian  t)6ib  ann  50 
b-pacaccap  lapgaipe  cuca,  .1.  peap  na  h-aicpebe,  a^up  piabaigip 
piap  na  clepcib,  agup  t)o  pona  urhalom  Doib,  uaip  Do  airin  ^up  Do 

Thumcip 

Glascarrick,  a  well-known  place  on  the  well  known,  and  is  tlie  name  of  an  old 
coast  near  Gorey,  in  the  north-east  of  the  church  near  the  south  bank  of  the  River 
county  of  Wexford  ;  but  no  tradition  of  Feal,  to  the  west  of  ListoweU,  in  the  ba- 
the saint  is  now  preserved  there.  Fidh-  rony  of  Clanmaurice,  and  county  of  Kerry, 
airle  Ua  Suanaigh  is  called  of  Eathain  by  The  name  Casan  Ciarraighe,  i.  e.  the  path 
Tighernach  and  the  Four  Masters,  but  of  Kerr?/  (it  being  the  high  road  into  the 
they  differ  about  the  year  of  his  death,  country),  anglicised  Cashen  Eiver,  is  now 
the  former  placing  it  in  the  year  763,  applied  to  that  part  of  the  River  Feal  ex- 
which  is  no  doubt  the  true  year,  and  the  tending  from  the  point  where  it  receives 
latter  in  758.  the  River  Brick  to  the  sea ;  but  it  is 
J  Disert  Ui  Triallaigh,  on  the  brink  oj  highly  probable  that  the  appellation  of 
the  Casan  Ciarraighe — This  place  is  still  Casan  Ciarraighe  was  originally  applied  to 


39 

It  was  Dichletlie  O'Triallaigh,  commonly  called  Trialkch,  that 
absconded  from  Tir  Amhalgaidh,  and  went  to  Disert  Ui  Triallagli\ 
on  the  brink  of  the  river  Casan  Ciarraighe  ;  and  it  was  upon  him  the 
following  great  miracle  was  performed.  One  time,  as  he  attempted 
to  go  away  from  the  sons  of  his  mother  on  an  expedition  to  seek  for 
God,  they  took  him  and  fettered  him,  placing  a  lock  of  iron  between 
his  head  and  feet ;  and  the  key  of  the  lock  was  cast  into  the  sea, 
and  a  salmon  took  it  in  its  mouth  and  swallowed  it.  Triallach  soon 
after  stole  away  on  his  expedition,  and  put  to  sea  in  a  currach  w^A^'c/t 
was  not  covered  with  leather,  and  went  round  Ireland  westwards,  with 
the  fetter  between  his  head  and  feet,  until  he  arrived  on  the  coast  of 
Ciarraighe  Luachra^  whither  the  salmon  which  had  swallowed  the 
key  accompanied  him,  and  by  the  assistance  of  God  he  landed  there 
at  Disert  Ui  Triallaigh,  on  the  brink  of  the  river  Casan  Ciarraighe, 
so  that  neither  his  brothers  nor  tribe  knew  in  what  direction  he 

had  gone. 

O'Suanaigh  and  Aodhan  afterwards  went  in  search  of  their 
mother's  son,  and  they  knew  not  his  fate  or  destiny  imtil  they  found 
him  at  the  Disert  with  his  lock  on  between  his  head  and  feet,  and 
he  hiding  himself  from  those  clerics  who  were  in  search  of  him. 
They  were  not  long  there  when  they  saw  a  fisherman'  coming  towards 
them,  the  man  to  whom  the  habitation  belonged,  who  bade  the  clerics 
welcome,  and  made  obeisance  to  them,  for  he  perceived  that  they 

were 

the  river  as  far  as  it  is  navigable  for  a  poem,  and  many  other  authorities, 

currach,   or  ancient   Irish  leather  boat ;  '    Fisherman.  —  Salmons     still    mtich 

and  the  fact  that  this  church  of  Disert  is  abound  in  this  river;  and  when  the  Editor 

described  as  on  the  margin  of  the  Casan  is  visited  the  church  of  Disert  Triallaigh,  in 

no  weak  corroboration  of  this  opinion.  the  summer  of  the  year  1841,  he  was  fer- 

k  Ciarraighe  Luachra  was  the  ancient  ried  across  the  river  to  the  church,  which 

name  of  a  territory  comprising  the  greater  is  on  the  south  side,  by  a  fisherman,  m  a 

part  of  the  present  county  of  Kerry,  as  fishing  cot,  or  small  flat-bottomed  boat, 
appears   from  O'Heerin's    Topographical 


40 

rhuinciji  De  t)6ib,  a^u]*  ^up  ob  a^  lappaib  an  naoirh  baoi  pa  n-jlap 
baccu|i  pop  an  eaccpa  pan,  agup  aobepc  Upiallac  na  cleipi^  x>o 
piapu^ab  50  mair,  uaip  olea^aio  aijib  a  piap.  Ueo  lapum  an 
r-iap5aipe  00  cup  a  li'n  t>6ib,  50  n-Debepc  Ua  Siianai^  pip,  t)o 
^eabca  Idn  Do  Un,  .i.  bpat)dn  ^aca  nno^uill  at)  lion,  a^up  nd  cug 
lear  acr  dp  n-t)afcin,  .i.  bpabdn  gac  pip.  Do  pine  an  c-iap^aipe 
arhlaib,  agup  Oo  pao  bpaodn  t)o  gac  clepeac  t)iob,  agup  ppic  an 
eocaip  an  inOib  an  bpaodm  cu^  00  Uhpiallac,  ^up  h-opglab  an 
jlap  Di ;  a^up  acd  an  cuibpioc  pan  'n  a  rhionO  rhiopbaileac,  ajup 
^lapan  Ua  Upiallai^h  a  corhainni. 

Qp  aipe  paiueap  Oiclere  Ua  Upiallai^,  .1.  ap  an  5-cler  t)o  pona 
ap  pen  a^  eulob  6  a  bpdirpib,  a^up  i  D-n^  an  lapgaipe.  dy  aipe 
a  Deapap  Upiallac  ppip,  6'n  cpiall  Do  pona  ap  paipp^e  Do  airhbeoin 
a  bpdirpeac. 

Qiljile,  mac  Gacac  6pic,  Dia  D-rdiD  ITIuincip  Qil^eanam,  no 
dil^ile,  a^up  Dia  m-baoi  an  pdiD  oipDepc,  .1.  Cu-cerhin  mac  Qil- 
5ile. 

Cuboipne,  umoppo,  an  cui^eaD  mac  Gauac  bpic,  ap  naDo,  pi6e 
acdiD  TTluincip  TTlocain  Chille  h-Qrpacc,  .i.  maoip  na  Cpoipi 
Qrpacu. 

^eweacacTi 

«"  Glasan  O'Triallai^k.—TheEditor could  father,  and  not  of  himself.    No  account  of 

find  no  account  or  tradition  of  this  relic  this  Triallach  has  been  as  yet  found  in  any 

in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  old  church  of  other  authority.    His  name  is  not  entered 

Disert  Triallaigh,  so  that  it  has  probably  in  any  of  the  Irish  calendars,  nor  is  his 

been  for  some  time  lost,  or  carried  away  festival  day  now  remembered  at  his  church 

from  the  locality.  of  Dysart,  in  Kerry. 

"  Triallach — If  this  be  true  it  looks         °  The  celebrated  prophet  Cutemken In 

very  strange  that  Ua,   or   0'  should  be  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  80,  page  a,  col.  i, 

prefixed  to  this  name.     It  is  probably  a  he  is  called  Cutemnen.     The  Editor  has 

mistake,  for,  if  true,  it  would  go  to  prove  not  yet  been  able  to  find  any  other  notice 

that  Triallach  was  the  name  of  his  grand-  of  this  Cutemhen  or  his  prophecies. 


4t 

were  of  the  people  of  God,  i.  e.  ecclesiastics,  and  that  they  had  set 
out  on  their  journey  to  search  for  the  saint  who  was  bound  by  the 
fetter.  Triallach  ordered  that  the  clerics  should  be  well  entertained, 
"that  strangers  were  entitled  to  attention."  The  fisherman  then 
went  to  set  his  net  for  them,  and  O'Suanaigh  said  to  him,  "  thou  wilt 
take  the  full  of  thy  net,  that  is  a  salmon  in  each  mesh,  but  do  not 
bring  with  thee  more  than  a  sufficiency  for  us,  that  is,  a  salmon  for 
each  man."  The  fisherman  did  accordingly,  and  he  presented  a  salmon 
to  each  cleric ;  and  the  key  was  found  in  the  belly  of  the  salmon 
given  to  Triallach,  and  the  lock  was  opened  with  it.  That  fetter  is 
now  a  miraculous  relic,  and  known  by  the  name  of  Glasano  Triallaigh"^, 
i.  e.  TriaUacIi's  little  lock  or  fetter. 

Triallach  was  called  Diclethe,  from  the  cleth,  or  concealment, 
which  he  made  of  himself  in  escaping  from  his  brothers,  and  in  the 
house  of  the  fisherman.  And  he  was  called  Triallach"  from  the  triall, 
or  voyage,  which  he  made  on  the  sea  in  despite  of  his  brothers. 

From  Ailghile,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  are  descended  Muinter 
Ailgheanain,  or  Ailghile,  and  of  whom  was  the  celebrated  prophet 
Cutemen°  Mac  Ailghile. 

From  Cuboirne,  the  fifth  son  of  Eochaidh,  are  descended  Muinter 
Mochain",  of  Gill  Athrachf^,  i.  e.  the  keepers  of  the  Cross  of  St. 
Athracht. 

PEDIGREE 

^  Muinter  MocJiain,  now  w\^iQ,ised.^io-  '^  Gill  Athracht,  i.e.  the  cliurcli  of  St. 

han  or  Moglian,  and  the  name  is  still  Athrachta,  now  Killaraght,  a  parish  in 
common  in  the  north  of  the  county  of  the  barony  of  Coolavin,  in  the  county  of 
Roscommon.  The  O'Clerys  give  also  the  Sligo.  Athrachta  was  co temporary  with 
pedigree  of  Domhnall  O'Mochain,  abbot  St.  Patrick,  from  whom  she  is  said  to  have 
of  Boyle,  who  died  in  the  year  1441  ;  it  received  the  veil  in  the  year  470.  Her 
runs  thus  : — "  Domhnall,  abbot  of  Boyle,  holy  well  in  this  parish  is  still  held  in 
son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Muirgheas,  son  of  the  highest  veneration,  and  visited  by 
Simon,  son  of  Nichol,  son  of  Domhnall,  pilgrims,  but  the  Editor  has  not  been 
son  of  Donnchadh,  son  of  Muircheartach."      able  to  determine  whether  her  cross  is  still 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.    12.  G 


42 


^eNea^ach  ua  mochaiN. 

^pea^oip  QipD-eafpoc  Uhuama, 


mac  SioTTioin, 
TTiic  Niacoil, 
TTiic  Oorhnuill, 
TYiic  Oonncaib, 
mic  TTluipceapcai^, 
TTIIC  Tinui]iea6ai5, 
rmc  pint), 
rmc  ITIeanTTian, 
Tmc  OonncuiD, 
mic  Qiceapai^, 
mic  nriuipceapcai^, 
TTiic  TTlupcuiD, 


mic  niocan  a  quo  Ui  TTlocain, 

mic  Qonjupa, 

mic  Upeapui^, 

mic  Ui^eapnai^, 

mic  Uaib^, 

mic  Qil^eanai^, 

mic  Concabaip, 

mic  pioinn, 

mic  Cacail, 

mic  Con-boipne, 

mic  Gacac  bpic, 

mic  Oari  pi^  Gpeann. 


Mo  5oma6  mac  d'  Go^an  Ctmne,  mac  Gocaib  bpic,  Cuboipne, 
6  t)-cdiD  Ui  TTlocan;  a^up  ap  pfop  pin. 

Clant)  Lao^aipe,  mic  Gacac  bpic,  .1.  TTluinuip  TTluipean  "^le- 
anna  ITIaoilDuin  la  h-Gibni^,  a^iip  TTluincip  TThiipean  ele  la 
h-Umall,  agiip  ap  aon  aicme  lao  apaon  lap  n-^aol  ^enealai^,  .1. 

ITIaolDuin, 

in  existence.     The   present  head  of  the  these   words:  —  "  A.  D.   1392.    Gregory 

Mac   Dermotts,   who    styles   himself  the  O'Mochain,  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  a  pious 

prince  of  Coolavin,   incorrectly,  his  real  and    charitable    raan,    died."  —  See  also 

title  being  the  chief  of  Moylurg,  holds  this  Ware's  Bishops.     The  O'Clerys  carry  the 

saint  in  such  veneration  that  he  has  given  pedigree  three  generations  later,  thus  : — 

her  name  to  one  of  his  daughters.  Maghnus  and  Diarmaid,  sons  of  John,  son 

^  Gregory,  Archbishop  of  Tuam. — Gre-  of  Gregory,  son  of  Simon,  &c.,  so  that  it 

gory  O'Moghan  was  promoted  to  the  see  would  appear  that  this  bishop  had  been 

of  Tuam  in  the  year  1 385,  but  deprived  in  married  before  he  received  holy  orders. 

1 386.    His  death  is  recorded  in  the  Annals  ^  Gleann  Maoilduin,  at  the  Eidhneach. — 

of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year  1392,  in  The  situation  of  this  valley  is  unknown  to 


43 


PEDIGKEE  OF  0  MOCHAIN. 


Gregory,  Archbisliop  of  Tua^l^ 


son  of  Simon, 
son  of  Nicholas, 
son  of  Domlmall, 
son  of  Donnchadh, 
son  of  Muirclieartach, 
son  of  Muireadhacli, 
son  of  Finn, 
son  of  Meanman, 
son  of  Donnchadli, 
son  of  Aitheasach, 
son  of  Miiirclieartacli, 
son  of  Murchadh, 


son  of  Moclian,  a  quo  the  O'Mo- 

chains, 
son  of  Aongus, 
son  of  Treasach, 
son  of  Tighearnach, 
son  of  Tadhg, 
son  of  Ailgheanach, 
son  of  Conchobhar, 
son  of  Flann, 
son  of  Cathal, 
son  of  Cuboirne, 
son  of  Eochaidh  Breac, 


son  of  Dathi,  King  of  Ireland. 

Others  say  that  the  Cuboirne  from  whom  the  O'Mochains  are 
descended,  was  son  to  Eoghan  Aidhne,  the  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac ; 
and  this  is  true. 

The  descendants  of  Laoghaire,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  are  the 
Muinter  Muiren,  of  Gleann  Maoilduin,  at  the  Eidhneach",  and  ano- 
ther family  called  Muinter  Muiren,  in  Umhair,  and  they  are  both 
the  same  family  with  respect  to  their  descent,  viz. : 

Maolduin, 

O'Malleys  have  been  hereditary  lords  or 
toparchs,  comprised  the  present  baronies 
of  Burrishool  and  Murresk,  verging  on  the 
Atlantic,  in  the  west  of  the  present  county 
of  Mayo.  Sir  Samuel  O'Malley  is  believed 
to  be  the  present  senior  representative  of 
the  chiefs  of  Umhall. 


the  Editor.  But  it  is  highly  probable 
that  it  was  the  ancient  name  of  the  valley 
through  which  the  River  Inny,  in  the  west 
of  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  flows. 

'  Umhall. — This  territory,  which  is  very 
celebrated  in  ancient  Irish  history,  and  of 
which,  since  the  establishment  of  sur- 
names in  Ireland,  in  the  tenth  century,  the 


G2 


44 


TTiaolDuin, 
mac  muipen,  a  quo  Ui  TTIuipen 

1  n-Urhall, 
Time  Diapmaoa, 
TTiic  Seanai^, 
TTiic  Cao^aipe, 
TTIIC  Gacac  bpic, 
Qgup  Tinaol-6pi5t)e, 
TTjac  TTIuipen, 

CuiTTiin, 
mac  Oioma, 
mic  OiapmaDa, 


mic    TTlaoilDuin,     o    pdireap 

^leann  TTlaoilDuin, 
mic  Cpiorhcainn, 
mic  Dioma, 
mic  OiapmaDa, 
mic  Seanai^, 
mic  Lao^aipe, 
mic  Gacac  bpic. 

mic  Seanai^, 
mic  Laojaipe,  "]c. 


Qpa  pol  pil  1  5-Cill  Cuimin,  .i.  Ui  Cuimin ;  agup  ni  li-e  an 
Cuimin  pin  pop  beannaig  an  baile  ap  rup,  ace 

Cuimm  poDa, 
mac  Conain^  (no  Conaill),  mic  Qmal^aib, 

mic  peapjupa,  mic  piacpac. 

Qn  can  po  li-a6nacc  Cuimin,  mac  Dioma,  ap  ann  po  li-a6nai- 
cea6  ip  in  Ulai6  rhoip  po  copaib  Ui  Suanaij,  a^up  ip  lao  a  pfol  pil 
ip  in  Cill  o  pin  anua]\ 


U 


a 


"  CiU  Cuimin,  now  Kilcummin,  a  very 
ancient  chiircli  whicli  gave  its  name  to  a 
parish  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  and 
county  of  Mayo,  lying  on  the  western  side 
of  the  Bay  of  KUlala.  The  name  O' Cui- 
min is  now  anglicised  Comyn,  or  Cum- 
mins. 

'  In  the  church,  S(c.  —  This  passage  is 
very  obscure  and  unsatisfactory,  as  it  does 
not  inform  us  which  of  the  three  saints 


who  bore  the  svirname  of  O'Suanaigh  is 
referred  to ;  and  as  we  are  given  elsewhere 
to  understand  that  one  of  these  brothers 
was  at  Rathain,  another  at  Cionn  Saile, 
and  the  third  at  Glas-charraig,  it  is  not 
easy  to  comprehend  what  is  meant  by  this 
passage  at  all.  The  probability,  however, 
is,  that  one  of  these  brothers  returned  to 
his  native  country  in  his  old  age,  and  was 
intex'red  at  Cill  Cuimin,  and  that  his  tond> 


45 


Maolduin, 
son  of  Muiren,  a  quo  Ui  Muiren     son  of  Maolduin,  from  whom  is 


in  Umhal, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Seanacli, 
son  of  Laogliaire, 
son  of  Eocliaidh.  Breac, 
and  Maolbrighde, 
son  of  Muiren, 

Cuimin, 
son  of  Dioma, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 

Whose  descendants  are  at  Cill  Cuimin",  that  is  the  family  of 
0' Cuimin.  But  he  is  not  the  Saint  Cuimin  by  whom  the  place  was 
first  blest ;  for  he  was 

Cuimin  Foda, 
son  of  Conaing  or  Conall,  son  of  xVmhalgaidh, 

son  of  Fergus,  son  of  Fiachra. 

When  Cuimin,  the  son  of  Dioma,  was  buried  he  was  interred  m 
the  large  uluidh,  or  altar-tomb,  at  the  feet  of  O'Suanaigh,  and  it  is 
his  descendants  that  have  been  as  comharbas  in  the  church'  ever 


called  Gleann  Maoilduin, 
son  of  Criomhthann, 
son  of  Dioma, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Seanach, 
son  of  Laoghaire, 
son  of  Eochaidh  Breac. 

son  of  Seanach, 

son  of  Laoghaire,  &c. 


since. 

was  well  known  there  for  ages  after.  The 
old  chtirch  of  St.  Cuimin  Fada  is  one  of 
extreme  antiquity,  and  there  are  several 
old  tombstones  in  the  churchyard,  but 
none  at  present  bearing  the  name  of 
O'Suanaigh,  nor  is  the  Uluidh  mhor,  or 
great  cairn  or  tomb,  in  which  was  interred 


O'Dorchaidhe 

Cuimin,  the  ancestor  of  the  family  of 
O' Cuimin,  who  were  comharbas,  airchin- 
nechs,  or  wardens  of  this  church,  now 
identifiable  or  traceable.  For  the  meaning 
of  the  word  Uluidh  see  Battle  of  Magh 
Eath,  p.  298,  Note  °,  where  it  is  shown 
that  uluiD  is  still  a  living  word. 


46 

Ua   Oopcai6e,  a^up  Ua   ^oipmiallai^  (t)d  raoipocli   papc- 

pai^e),   DO  cloinn  Cao^aipe,  mic  Gacac   bpic,  no  TlluaiDe.     Qd 

lOTTiba  na  papcpaige.  pec  Sliocc  bhpiain,  rhic  Gacach  muigmeaD- 

oin,  cuille  Diob. 

O  Oopcaibe  caoipioc  papupai^e,  imap  at)  bepc  TTlac  Pipbifi^ 

(giolla  lopa  TTlop),  in  bliabaim  fi  t)o  aoip  Chpioy>D  1417.     pec 

learanac  poD. 

Tllair  t)o  coy^am  ponn  na  b-peap 

O  Oopcaibe  ay  dpD  aigneab, 

Cpfoch  papcpai^e  na  5-call  ^-cuip, 

Le  cpann  alc-buibe  1  n-iom^uin. 

Oopchaibe, 

mac  Olucai^,  mic  Lao^aipe, 

Tnic  DioTTia  Cpoin,  nnc  Gocmb  6pic, 

TTiic  OiapTnat>a,  rmc  Dan. 

TYiic  Seanai^, 

ui  t)ORChait)he  ^aiccmhe. 

SeaiYiiip  Riabach,  agiip  Domim^, 

niec  Nioclaip,  mic  Uomaip, 

rmc  Seamuip  Piabai^,  mic   bhaicep   Riabai^,   an   ceo 

TTiic  Mioclaip,  peap  t)'  lb  Oopcame  cdims  50 

mic  Concabaip,  ^aillim,  t)o  pep  lucua  ^aill- 

mic  pdopai^,  TTie  pen. 

TTlaipcin, 

w  O'Dorckaidhe.— This  name  is  still  com-  race,  and  a  far  more  distinguished  family, 

men  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  and  angli-  ^  Partraighe,    now    anglicised   Partry. 

cised  Dorcey,  Darcey,  and  sometimes  even  For  the  situation  and  exact  extent  of  this 

D'Arcy.  territory,  which  still  retains  its  ancient 

"^  O'Goirmiallaigh,   now   Gormley,  but  name,    see    notes   to   the    Topographical 

this  family  is  to  be  distinguished  from  that  Poem   of  Giolla   losa   Mor  Mac   Firbis, 

of  O'Gairmleadhaigh,  or  O' Gormley  of  the  which  will  be  given  further  on. 

province  of  Ulster,  who  are  of  a  different  ^  Well  has  he  defended.— TIiq  language 


47 

O'Dorcliaidlie"'  and  O'Goirmiallaigh''  (the  two  cliiefs  of  Partraighe^ ) 
are  of  the  race  of  Laoghaire,  the  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac  {oTEochaidh 
oftheMoy).  There  are  many  Partraighes. — See  the  Genealogies 
of  the  Race  of  Brian,  son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin  for  more  of 
them. 

O'Dorchaidhe  was  chief  of  Partraighe  according  to  Mac  Eirbis 
(Giolla  losa  Mor),  in  the  year  of  Christ  1417. — See  page  further  on. 
Well  has  he  defended^  the  land  of  the  men, 
O'Dorchaidhe  of  the  high  mind, 
The  country  of  Partraighe  of  fine  hazel  trees, 
With  a  yellow-knotted  5pear-shaft  in  the  battle. 
Dorchaidhe, 
Son  of  Dluthach,  Son  of  Laoghaire, 

Son  of  Dioma  Cron,  Son  of  Eochaidh  Breac, 

Son  of  Diarmaid,  Son  of  Dathi. 

Son  of  Seanach, 

o'dOECHAIDHE  of  GAILLIMH^ 

James  Riabhach,  and  Dominic, 

Sons  of  Nicholas,  Son  of  Walter  Riabhach,  the  first 

Son  of  James  Riabhach,  man  of  the  family  of  O'Dor- 

Son  of  Nicholas,  chaidhe  who  came  to  Gaillimh, 

Son  of  Conchobhar,  according    to    the    people   of 

Son  of  Patrick,  Gailhmh  themselves. 

Son  of  Thomas, 

Martin, 

of  this  quatrain  is  very  mucli  transposed  ;  *  0'' Dorchaidhe   of  Gaillimh,   i.  e.    the 

the  natural  order  -vYOiild  be  the  following  :      O'Dorceys   or  Darcys,  of  Galway.     This 

^r  1,  ,      r.,-^     ,.  .J,-      ^xL    1  i-x       -J  family  have  taken  the  name  and  arms  of 

Well  has  O  Dorchaidhe  of  the  lofty  mind  •'  •  i        i 

-p..    jjxi,xi    A    cu  the  D' Arcys,  and  are  now  considered  an 

Defended  that  land  of  heroes  J    ' 

The  country  of  Partraighe  of  fine  hazel  trees,  offset  of  the  D' Arcys   of  Meath  ;  but  this 

With  a  yeUow-knotted  spear-shaft  in  the  battle.         is  a  perversion  of  history  which  the  Editor 


48 


rnai]icin, 
iTictc  RipoepD, 
line  Tnaijicfn, 

TTIaiciu, 
mac  Seamuif  Oi^, 

feels  himself  called  upon  to  notice  and 
correct.    It  is  clear  from  Mac  Firbis,  ayIio 
wrote  in  tlie  College  of  St.  Nicliolas,  at 
Gahvay,    in    1645,  while   the   celebrated 
lawyer  Patrick  Darcy  was  living,  that  they 
then  considered  themselves  to  be  of  the 
ancient  Irish  race,  though  they  were  not 
able  to  supply  him  with  more  than  eight 
generations  of  their  pedigree  (and  there 
can  be  little  doubt  that  these  were  sup- 
plied by  Patrick  the  lawyer),  viz.,  from 
James  Riabhach,  the  head  of  the  family  in 
Blac  Firbis' s  time,  up  to  Walter  Paabhach, 
the  first  of  the  family  who,  "  according  to 
the  people  of  Galway  themselves,"  settled 
in  the  town  of  Galway.  In  the  last  edition  of 
Lodge's  Peerage  was  published  a  pedigree, 
patched  up  by  one  of  the  family,  who  very 
ingeniously  engrafted  this  family  on  that  of 
the  D'Arcys  of  Meath,  and  accounts,  by  a 
bold  assertion,  Avhich  is  not  proved,  and 
Avhich  cannot  be  true,  for  the  manner  in 
which  they  obtained  possession  of  the  es- 
tate of  O'Dorcey  of  Partry,  in  the  county 
of  Mayo.     This  pedigree,  which  is  most 
ingeniously  put  together,  deduces  the  de- 
scent of  the  Darcys  of  Galway  from  Sir 
John  D'Arcy,  who  was  Chief  Justice  of 
Ireland  in  1 3 2 3.     But  that  the  reader  may 
clearly  see  where  the  forgery  begins,  this 


nrnc  Seumuip  Piabai^, 
mic  Niocolai]''. 

nmc  Seamuif  T^iabaig. 

Ppoiny^iai^, 

fabricated  line  is  here  annexed  : 

1.  Sir  John  D'Arcy,  Chief  Justice  of  Ireland  in  1323. 

2.  William,  bom  1330. 

I 

3.  John. 

I 

4.  William. 

1 

5.  John. 

6.  Nicholas,  captain  of  horse,  who  married  Jane,  daughter 

I  and  heir  of  O'Dorcey,  of  Partry. 

7.  Thomas. 

I 

8.  Conyers. 

.  I 
i).  Nicholas. 

10.  James  Riveacjh  I.,  of  Galway,  who  died  in  1603. 

I 


11.  Nicholas.  11.  Patricli,  the  lawyer. 

12.  James  Riveagh  n. 

This  forgery  could  never,  in  all  probabili- 
ty, have  been  detected,  were  it  not  that  the 
honest  and  laborious  Mac  Fii'bis  had  com- 
mitted the  real  descent  of  the  Darcys  of  Gal- 
way to  writing,  before  the  family  attempted 
to  conceal  their  INIilesian  origin.  It  is  cu- 
rious to  observe  in  this  memoir,  published 
in  Lodge's  Peerage,  a  perfect  agreement 
with  the  line  given  by  INIac  Firbis  up  to 
Conchobhar  (the  grandfather  of  James 
Riabhach  the  elder),  which  the  fabricator 
anglicises  Conyers  ;  but  here  the  forgery 
commences,  for  this  Conyers  Avas  the  son 
of  a  Patrick  O'Dorcey,  not  of  a  Thomas 
D'Arcy,  as  the  fabricator  would  have  us 
believe.  The  name  Thomas,  however,  is 
given  by  Mac  Firbis  in  the  next  genera- 


49 


Martin, 
son  of  Richard, 
son  of  Martin, 

Matthew, 
son  of  James  Og, 

tion,  and  it  is  evident  that  botli  had  the 
same  Thomas  in  view ;  bnt  instead  of 
making  this  Thomas  the  son  of  Walter 
Riabhach,  the  first  of  the  family  who  set- 
tled in  the  toAvn  of  Galway,  as  Mac  Firbis 
was  informed  by  the  family  themselves  in 
1645,  the  fabricator  makes  him  the  son  of 
a  Nicholas  Darcy,  captain  of  horse  (and 
uncle  of  Sir  William  D'Arcy,  of  Flatten, 
in  the  county  of  Meath),  who,  "  being 
stationed  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  married 
Jane,  daughter  and  heir  to  O'Duraghy" 
[O'Dorcey],  "  of  Partry,  in  that  county, 
who  brought  him  the  large  estate  of  that 
family."  Where  is  his  authority  to  prove 
this  marriage,  or  that  O'Duraghy  had  large 
estates  in  Partry  at  the  time  in  Avhich  he 
makes  this  Capt.  Nicholas  flourish  ?  Here 
he  undoubtedly  engrafts  the  pedigree  on  a 
false  stem,  and  then  easily  mounts  up  to 
Sir  John  D'Arcy,  Chief  Justice  of  Ireland, 
by  the  true  generations  of  the  Meath  fa- 
mily. This  was  a  poor  shift  to  erect  a  re- 
spectability for  a  family  who  were  already 
respectable  enough  by  allowing  them  their 
true  descent.  The  wish  to  be  considered 
English  also  prevailed  among  the  Kir- 
wans  of  Galway,  biit  the  Editor  never  heard 
that  they  went  so  far  as  to  fabricate  a  pe- 
digree to  that  effect ;  he  has  been  told,  how- 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


son  of  James  Riabhach, 
son  of  Nicholas. 

son  of  James  Riabhach. 

Francis, 

ever,  that  the  lateMajor  Kirwan,  ofDalgan, 
Avas  constantly  in  the  habit  of  stating  that 
his  own  name  was  originally  Whitecombe, 
of  which  Ciop  Ban  was  but  an  Irish  trans- 
lation ;  the  name  Kirwan  is,  however,  in 
Irish  O'Ciapoubain,  not  Ciop  Ban,  but 
the  family  was  never  of  any  celebrity  in 
Ireland  until  they  made  fortunes  in  Gal- 
way as  merchants  and  shopkeepers.  Not 
so,  however,  the  O'Dorceys,  they  were 
chiefs  of  the  territory  of  Partry  in  the 
year  141 7,  when  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac 
Firbis  wrote  his  topographical  poem. 

Should  it  be  objected  that  the  Christian 
names  occurring  in  the  line  of  pedigree 
given  by  Mac  Firbis  are  English,  such  as 
Nicholas,  Walter,  James,  &c.,  and  that 
these  names  suggest  a  strong  argument  in 
favour  of  the  fabricator  of  the  pedigree 
published  in  Lodge's  Peerage ;  to  such 
objection  may  be  replied,  that  English 
names  are  also  found  among  other  families 
of  undoubted  Irish  origin,  which  names 
were  derived  from  their  intermarriages 
with  English  families  ;  that  this  surname 
was  O'Dorcey  in  Mac  Firbis's  time,  not 
D'Arcy,  and  that  the  Christian-name 
Nicholl  was  in  use  among  the  O'Dorceys, 
of  Partry,  as  early  as  the  year  1306 — See 
Mageoghegan's  Translation  of  the  Annals 
H 


5° 


Ppoinyia'p, 
mac  Qnuom, 


mic  SeaTYiiiif  Piabaij. 


QiTiDpiu  a^uf  pat)]iai5  ^"  peap  DI1516,  6a  niliac  ele  o'on 
r-Seumup  l?iabac  ay  pine. 

Lao^aipe  beop  Dno,  ap  Dia  cloinn  Uib  6acac  TTliiame  co  n-a 
5-corhpoi5pib,  a^up  Ui  nflaoilpa^rhaip,  comapbaba  Cille  h-Galaib, 
1  D-Uip,  no  1  n-1b  Gacac  TTliiaibe,  t)ia  m-bdoap  na  peace  n-eappoi^ 
naoTTira,  TTlo-Cele  Ua  TTlaoilpa^rhaip,  t)ia  0-rdiD  TTlec  Cele  Cille 
b-Galai6,  a^up  po  ba  t)fob  pop  Qon^up  Gappoc,  TTluipeaboc  Gap- 
poc,  Q06  Gappoc,  Qinmreac  Gappoc,  TTlaoldn  Gappoc,  ct^up 
piann,  .i.  an  peap  leijeinn,  .1.  Gappoc  t)ia6a  Do  Chloinn  Cbele. 

Qp  t)o  cloinn  Laojaipe,  1  n-lb  Garach  TTIuaibe,  Ui  Cpiaibcen, 
Ui  Ceandin  a^up  Ui  piainle,  no  Caicile. 

Cpioc  Ua  n-Gacac  TTluaiDe,  .1.  6  Rop  Sepce  50  pionDcaluim, 
ajup  50  peappait)  Upepi.  Qp  aipe  ao  beapap  l?op  Sepce  pip,  .1. 
Sepc,  ingean  Caipbpe,  mic  Qrhaljaib,  t)o  beannai^  an  baile,  agiip  an 

pop 


of  Clonmacnoise,  at  tlie  year  1306. — See 
also  the  pedigree  of  O'Mocliain  above,  in 
p.  42,  from  wliicli  it  appears  that  the  names 
Gregory,  Simon,  and  Nichol,  were  in  use 
among  that  family  even  in  the  fourteenth 
century. 

^  Patrick  the  lawyer This  was  the  ce- 
lebrated lawyer  Patrick  Darcy,  of  Gal  way : 
he  was  the  second  son  of  James  Riabhach 
the  elder,  was  born  in  Galway  in  the  year 
1598,  died  in  Dublin  in  1668,  and  was 
interred  in  the  abbey  of  Kilconnell,  in  the 
county  of  Galway.  For  some  notices  of 
this  remarkable  man  the  reader  is  referred 
to  Ware's  Writers  and  Hardiman's  His- 


tory of  Galway,  p.  1 1 ,  &c. 

^  The  Hy-Eachach,  of  the  Moy.  —  The 
situation  of  this  tribe  will  be  pointed  out 
more  distinctly  in  the  Notes  to  the  Topo- 
graphical Poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac 
Firbis. 

^  G' Maoilfaghmhair This  name  still  ex- 
ists in  the  district,  but  is  anglicised  Mil- 
ford,  which  is  calculated  to  disguise  the 
Irish  origin  of  the  family. 

^  cm  Ealaidh,  noAv  Killala,  in  Tirawley. 

^  Mac  Celes,  ofCill  Ealaidh This  is 

probably  the  family  now  called  Mac  Hale. 

^  Clann  Cele — These  seven  bishops  of 
the  Clann  Cele  are  not  given  in  Ware's 


51 

Francis, 
son  of  Anthony,  son  of  James  Riabhach. 

Andrew,  and  Patrick  the  lawyer*,  two  other  sons  of  James 
Riabhach,  the  elder. 

Of  the  race  of  Laoghaire  also  are  the  Hy-Eachach  of  the  Moy'', 
with  their  correlatives,  and  the  family  q/'O'Maoilfaghmhair'',  comhar- 
bas  of  Cill  Ealaidh'^,  in  Tir  Eachach,  or  Hy-Eachach  of  the  Moy,  of 
whom  were  these  seven  holy  bishops,  viz..  Mo  Cele  O'Maoilfaghmhair, 
from  whom  are  descended  the  Mac  Celes,  of  Cill  Ealaidh^ ;  Aongus 
the  Bishop,  Muireadhach  the  Bishop,  Aodh  the  Bishop,  Ainmtheach 
the  Bishop,  Maolan  the  Bishop,  and  Flann  the  Lecturer,  i.  e.  a  pious 
Bishop  of  the  Clann  Cele^ 

Of  the  race  of  Laoghaire,  in  Hy-Eachach,  of  the  Moy,  are  the 
O'Criadhchens^,  the  O'Leanains",  and  the  O'Flaitiles',  or  O'Laitiles. 

The  country  of  Hy-Eachach,  of  the  Moy,  extends  from  Ros  Serce^ 
to  Fionnchaluim,  and  to  Fearsad  Tresi.  Ros  Serce  is  so  called  from 
Searc,  the  daughter  of  Cairbre,  son  of  Amhalgaidh,  who  blessed 
the  village  and  the   wood  which  is   at  the  mouth   of  the  River 

Moy. 

list  of  tlie  bishops  of  Killala,  nor  has  the         ^  OPLeanain,  now  Lennon. 
Editor  been  able  to  find  any  notices  of         '  0''Flaitile,   now  anglicised  Flatly  and 
them  in  the  Irish  Annals.      The  earliest  Flatilly;  and  in  some  parts  of  Ireland  it 
notice    of  the    see    of   Killala   collected  has  assumed  the  strange  form  of  Flat- 
by  the  Four  Masters  is  at  the  year  1235.  tery ! 

At  the  year  1257  they  record  the  death         J  ^05 /Serce,  now  called  Eosserk,  a  town- 

of  Maelpatrick  Mac  Cele,  archinneach  or  land  containing  the  ruins  of  a  small  but 

herenach  of  Killala,  and  this  is  the  earliest  very  beautiful  abbey,   in  the   parish  of 

notice  of  the  name  of  Mac  Cele  to  be  found  Ballysokeery,    and   barony  of  Tirawley, 

in  their  work.  about  four  miles  due  north  of  Ballina. 

s  G'Criadhchen.  —  This  is  probably  the  The  abbey  is  about  five  centuries  old,  and 

name  now  anglicised  Crean,  which  is  still  there  is  no  portion  of  the  original  church 

numerous  and  respectable  in  the  county  of  the  Virgin  Searc  now  to  be  seen, 
of  Mayo. 

H  2 


52 


\\oy  a  cd  a^  bun  na  TTIuaiDe.  ban-naorh  nmopbuileac  an  c-8eajic 
l^in,  agup  ay  Oi  t)o  pmeab  an  pegleuy,  a^up  an  t)ui|ireac  pil  ag  an 
pop  (no  ip  in  pop),  pom,  i  l?opepc. 

ccqnd  eo^haiM  ait)hHe,  mic  eachach  6Ric. 

Go^an  Qibne,  mac  Gacac  bpic,  niic  Oaui,  ap  aipe  a  oeapraoi 
Gojan  Qibne  ppip,  uaip  ap  in  Qibne  po  h-oileab  e  a^  O^inb 
bearpa,  an  cpeap  cineul  po  baoi  in  QiDne,  uaip  rpi  cineula  po 
babap  in  Qibne  pe  n-Uib  pinacpac,  .1.  Ciappaije,  O^a  bearpa, 
a^up  UpaDpai^e  Dubpoip,  a^up  Caonpoi^e  Qipo  (Iibne.  Oi^ 
bearpa,  uinoppo,  ct  Cpic  Galla  00  lobap,  a^iip  do  piol  Gogain 
■Caiblij  laD,  a^up  po  ^ab-pao  cuaip^eapc  Qibne,  a5up  ap  lao  po 
n-alc  Goj;an  Qibne,  mac  Gacac  bpic,  a^up  ap  oe  ba  h-Go^an 
Qibne.  O15  bearpa  beop  po  n-alc  Gojan  beul,  mac  Cealloi^, 
mic  Oiliolla  riTuilc,  mic  Oari,  agup  ap  lat)  pa  ceuD  oipeacc  Do 
aj  ^abdil  pi^e  ConDachr.  UpaDpai^e  Dno  ap  Do  clomn  ^eanainn, 
mic  Oeala  Doib.    Caonpai^e  Dno  do  clannaib  CumD  Doib.     Go^an 

Qibne 

^  Duirtheach — This  word,  which  very 
frequently  occurs  in  the  Irish  lives  of  the 
primitive  Irish  saints,  is  generally  applied 
to  a  small  oratory  or  a  hermit's  cell. — See 
Fleadh  Duin  na  n-Gedh,  p.  1 6,  Note  °,  for 
a  fuller  explanation  of  it. 

'  Aidhne. — This  territory  was  co-exten- 
sive with  the  diocese  of  Kilmacduagh, 
forming  the  south-west  portion  of  the 
county  of  Galway.  It  was  bounded  on 
the  north  by  O'Flaherty's  country,  on  the 
east  by  Moenmoy,  on  the  south  and  south- 
west by  the  territory  of  Cineal  Fearmaic, 
in  Thomond,  and  on  the  west  by  Burren 
and  the  Bay  of  Galway — See  Map  prefixed 
to  the  tract  on  Hy-Many. 

"^  Ditbk-ros,  i.  e.  the  black  promontory. 


now  Duros,  or  Dooross,  near  the  little 
town  of  Kinvara,  in  the  barony  of  Kiltar- 
tan,  and  county  of  Galway.  The  word 
Eos,  when  topographically  applied,  has 
two  distinct  meanings,  namely;  1,  a  point 
of  land  extendiuQ-  into  the  sea,  or  a  large 
lake ;  and,  2,  a  wood.  Its  diminutive  form 
popdn  or  papan  is  still  used  in  the  spoken 
Irish  to  denote  a  shrubbery  or  underwood. 

°  The  country  of  Ealla This  is  still 

the  name  of  a  well  known  district  and  now 
abarony,  in  the  county  ofCork,  and  takes  its 
name  from  theEiver  Ealla,  or  Alloe,  Avhich 
flows  through  it.  The  name  is  always  an- 
glicised Duhallow  from  the  Irish  tDucaio 
6alla,  i.  e.  the  district  or  country  of 
Ealla. 


53 

Moy.  This  Searc  was  a  miraculous  female  saint,  and  it  was  for  her  the 
church  and  duirtheach'',  which  are  at  that  Ros  (or  in  that  Ros),  at 
Roserc,  were  erected. 

OF  THE  DESCENDANTS  OF  EOGHAN  AIDHNE,  THE  SON  OF  EOCHAIDH  BREAC. 

Eoghan  Aidhne,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  who  was  son  of  Dathi, 
was  called  Eoghan  Aidhne,  because  it  was  in  the  territory  of 
Aidhne^  he  was  fostered  by  the  tribe  called  Oga  Beathra,  the  third 
tribe  who  then  inhabited  Aidhne,  for  there  were  three  tribes  in 
Aidhne  before  the  Hy-Fiachrach,  namely,  the  Ciarraighe,  Oga 
Beathra,  the  Tradraighe,  of  Dubh-ros",  and  the  Caonraighe,  of  Ard 
Aidhne.  The  Oig  Beathra  came  from  the  country  of  Ealla",  and 
were  of  the  race  of  Eoghan  Taidhleach" ;  they  took  possession  of  the 
northern  part  of  Aidhne,  and  it  was  they  that  fostered  Eoghan 
Aidhne,  the  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  for  which  he  was  called  Eoghan 
Aidhne.  The  Oig  Beathra  also  fostered  Eoghan  Beul,  the  son  of 
Ceallach,  son  of  Oiholl  Molt,  son  of  Dathi,  and  they  were  his  first 
faction  when  he  was  assuming  the  government  of  Connaught.  The 
Tradraighe  are  of  the  race  of  Geanann,  the  son  of  Deala",  and  the 
Caenraighe  are  of  the  race  of  Conn'^.  Eoghan  Aidhne  was  the  fos- 
ter-son 

°  Eoghan  Taidhleack,  i.e.  Eoghan  the  or  Lower  Shannon,  to  the  Eiver  Drobhaois, 

splendid.    He  was  otherwise  called  Mogha  now  the  Eiver  Drowis,  the  boundary  be- 

Nuadhat,    and   was  the  father  of  Olioll  tween  Connaught  and  Ulster.     There  was 

Olum,  and  the  ancestor  of  the  most  dis-  another  tribe  of  the  name  Tradraighe  seated 

tinguished  families  of  Munster.     He  was  intheterritoryof  Tradry,  or  Tradree,  inthe 

contemporary  with  Conn  of  the  Hundred  barony  of  Bunratty,  and  county  of  Clare. 

Battles,   whom   he   compelled   to   divide  ^  Race  of  Conn ^  i.  e.  of  Conn    of  the 

Ireland  with  him  into  two  equal  parts.  Hundred    Battles,    monarch    of  Ireland. 

P  Race  of  Geanann,  son  of  Deala He  There  was  another  tribe  of  the  name  Caen- 
was  a  Firbolgic  King  of  Connaught,  and  raighe  seated  along  the  Shannon,  on  the 
ruled,  according  to  Keating  and  the  an-  south  side,  who  gave  name  to  the  barony 
cient  MS.  accounts  of  this  colony,  over  of  Caenraighe,  noAV  Kenry,  in  the  county 
the  district  extending  from  the  Luimneach,  of  Limerick. 


54 

Qmne  umoppo  Dalca  na  n-aicmeaba  poin,  a^up  Oga  m-bearpa 
(nnap  a  oubpamap),  Do  copaiu  cpfoc  Qibne  Do  pen  agup  D'a  cloinn 
'n-a  Diai^. 

Go^an  QiDne  cerpe  mec  lep,  .1.  Conall,  Copinac,  SeuDna,  ajup 
Seacnupac,  .1.  Ceann^arhna,  a^up  ap  pip  a  Deapuaoi  Seanac  Ceann- 
^arhna,  a^up  ap  uaba  Ceneul  CinD^arhna,  .1.  Ui  OuiB^iolla  caoipi^ 
Cmeil  Cinn^arhTia,  a^up  ap  Do  Cineul  CinD^arhna  Sapnaic,  in^ean 
QoDa  ^abal-paDa,  imac  Seanai^,  mic  Go^ain  QiDne,  nriic  Gacac 
bpic. 

Conall,  mac  Gojain  QiDne,  ap  ua6a  Ceneul  n-^uaipe,  .1. 

QoD  a^up  colnian  Da 

mac  Cobcai^,  mic  Go^ain  QiDne, 

mic  ^oi^i^Gi^^?  Tnic  GacaDa  5pic, 

mic  Conaill,  mic  Oaui,  pi^  Gpeann. 

CtoD,  mac  Cobuai^  umoppo,  ap  uaDa  Ceneul  QoDa,  .1.  O'  Seac- 
napui^,  agup  O'  Cacail,  Da  pi^  Ceneoil  QoDa.  Colmctn  ap  uaDa 
Cenel  n-'^ucdpe. 

SeuDna,  mac  Gojam  QiDne,  ap  1  a  clanD,  .i.  Ceneul  SeuDna. 

Copmac  mac  Go^ain  ap  uaDha  Ceneul  Ceapnai^. 

Cereapnac, 

^  0'' Duibhghiolla This  name  is  now  ^  Aodh,  son  of  Cobhthach.  — If  this  be 

obsolete  in  the  territory  of  Aidhne,  or  true,  O'Shaughnessy  does  not  descend  from 

lurks  under  some  disguised  form.  Guaire  Aidhne,  Kingof  Connaught,  which 

^  St.  Sarnait This  is  evidently  the  was  the  boast  of  the  Irish  poets  of  the  three 

female    saint    now   corruptly   called   St.  last  centuries,  for  Guaire  was  the  son  of 

Sourney,  to  whom  there  are  wells  dedi-  Colman,  the  brother  of  the  Aodh,  who  is 

cated  in  the  district  of  Aidhne,  and  whose  here  stated  to  have  been  the  ancestor  of 

church  still  stands  in  ruins  on  the  great  O'Shaughnessy.       Notwithstanding    this 

island  of  Aran,   in  the  bay  of  Galway.  statement,  our  author  himself,  in  giving  the 

There  is  no  mention  of  this  Sarnait  in  the  pedigree  of  Sir  Diarmaid  O'Shaughnessy, 

Book  of  Lecan.  deduces  his  descent  not  from  Aodh,  but 


55 

ter-son  of  these  tribes,  and  it  was  the  Oga  Beathra  (as  we  have 
already  stated)  that  maintained  the  territory  of  Aidhne  for  him  and 
his  descendants  after  him. 

Eoghan  Aidhne  had  four  sons,  namely,  Conall,  Cormac,  Seiidna, 
and  Seachnasach,  who  was  called  Ceanngamhna  and  Seanach  Ceann- 
gamhna,  and  from  him  are  descended  the  Cineal  Cinngamhna,  i.  e. 
the  family  of  O'Duibhghiolla'",  chiefs  of  Cineal  Cinngamhna.  Of  this 
tribe  of  Cineal  Cinngamhna  was  Saint  Sarnait*,  the  daughter  of  Aodh 
Gabhalfhada,  son  of  Seanach,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne,  son  of  Eochaidh 
Breac. 

From  Conall,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne  are  S23rung  the  Cineal 
Guaire,  thus  : 

Aodh  and  Colman, 

two  sons  of  Cobhthach,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne, 

son  of  Goibhnenn,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac, 

son  of  Conall,  son  of  Dathi,  King  of  Ireland. 

From  Aodh,  son  of  Cobhthach^  are  sprung  the  Cineal  Aodha,  i.  e. 
O'Seachnasaigh  and  O'Cathail,  two  kings  of  Cineal  Aodha;  and  from 
Colman  are  the  Cineal  Guaire. 

Seudna,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne,  was  the  progenitor  of  the  Cineal 
Seudna. 

From  Cormac,   Son  of  Eoghan  \_Aidhne],  are  the  Cineal  Cear- 

naigh. 

The 

from  his  brother  Colman,  through  Guaire,  duced  from  Guaire  Aidhne.     This  error 

King  of  Connaught,  but  it  is  highly  pro-  seems  to  have  arisen  from  mistaking  Aodh, 

bable  that  O'Shaughnessy  is  of  the  race  son  of  Cobhthach,  the  real  ancestor  of  the 

of  Aodh,  as  he  is  always  mentioned  in  the  Cinel  Aodha,  for  Aodh,  the  grandson  of 

Irish  Annals  as  chief  of  the  Cineal  Aodha.  Guaire   Aidhne.     This    subject  will   be 

In  the  Book  of  Lecan,  the  genealogical  MS,  further    considered    in   the   pedigree    of 

oftheO'Clerys,  and  in  all  the  copies  of  Keat-  O'Shaughnessy,    at   the  end  of  this  vo- 

ing,  the  pedigree  of  O'Shaughnessy  is  de-  lume. 


56 

Ceeeapna6,  mac  Cuaice,  Dia  D-cd  Ceneul  Cuaide,  mac  Cpiorh- 
eamn  Caoin,  mic  eosain  phuilig,  mic  Qoba  ^abal-paoa. 


ua  cachaic,  6a  ceweu^  aot)ba 

Cacal, 
mac  Ogam, 
mic  bjiacam, 
mic  Cionaoca, 
mic  "Cojipa, 
mic  Concabaip, 
mic  Comupgaij, 


mic  bece, 

mic  Qo6a, 

mic  Cobraig, 

mic  goibnenn, 

mic  Conaill, 

mic  Gogam  Qibne. 


Cian, 
mac  Concabaip, 
mic  Ubam, 
mic  OsaiTi, 


mic  bpuacain,  no  bpacam, 
mic  Cionaoca. 


^eMeacach  ui  sheachNUsai^h. 

Sip  t)iapmait>  (maipeap  anoip,  1666), 
mac    Sip    Ruampij,    .i.    5^^^^^    ^^^  Uilliam, 

Diib  O'  Seacnupaig  t)'an  t)eap-    mic  ^loUa  na  naorh, 

bpdirpe  Dan  agup  Uilliam,       mic  T?uampi5, 
mec  O.apmaoa  O'  Seacnupaig,      mic  ^lolla  na  naom, 
mic  an  ghiolla  t)uib,  mic  Pa^naill, 

mic  Oiapmaoa,  mic  Sealbaij,  no  ^ailbige, 

mic  Uilliam,  mic  Seacnapaig,    6  b-piiilio   Ui 

TTiic  Seaam,  Seacnapaig, 

mic  Cogain,  mic  DonncaiD, 

mic 


"  Bee,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Cobhthach correct,  as  it  agrees  with  what  is  stated 

This  descent  of  O'Cathail,  now  Cahill,  is     about  the  descent  of  the  Cineal  Aodha,  of 


S7 


The  Cineal  Cuaiche  are  sprung  from  Cethernach,  son  of  Cuach, 
son  of  Criomhthann  Caoin,  son  of  Eoghan  Fuileach,  son  of  Aodh 
Gabhalfhada. 

O'CATHAIL,  IN  CINEAL  AODHA. 

Cathal, 
son  of  Ogan, 
son  of  Bracan, 
son  of  Cionaoth, 
son  of  Torpa, 
son  of  Conchobhar, 
son  of  Comuscach, 

Cian, 
soil  of  Conchobhar, 
son  of  Uban, 
son  of  Ogan, 


son  of  Bee, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Cobhthach", 

son  of  Goibhnenn, 

son  of  Conall, 

son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne. 

son  of  Bruachan,  or  Bracan, 
son  of  Cionaoth. 


PEDIGEEE  OF  O  SEACHNASAIGH. 

Sir  Diarmaid  (now  living,  1666), 

son  of  Sir  Ruaidhri,  i.  e.  GioUa    son  of  Eoghan, 
dubh    O'Seachnasaigh,    whose    son  of  William, 
brothers  were  Dathi  and  Wil-    son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 
liam, 

son  of  Diarmaid  O'Seachnasaigh, 

son  of  Giolla  dubh, 

son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  William, 

son  of  John, 


whom  he  was  a  branch.    One  of  this  family 
was  chief  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne  in 

the  year  1147 See  Annals  of  the  Four 

Masters  at  that  year. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  ] 


son  of  Ruaidhri, 
son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 
son  of  Raghnall, 

son  of  Sealbhach  or  Gailbhighe", 
son  of  Seachnasach,  from  whom 
\k\Q  family  q/" O'Seachnasaigh, 

son 

'^  Gailbhighe His  real  name  was  Geal- 

bhuidhe.  He  was  slain  in  the  battle  of 
Ardee,  in  the  year  1 159,  according  to  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters. 


58 

TTiic  Conmaigne  (no  Conmui^e),  mic  bjioin,  no  bjiiam  CeDejij, 

inic  peajigaile,  mic  rnujicaib, 

TTiic  TTlaoilciapain,  niic  CXoba, 

TYiic  Caifine,  no  Caip,  [mic  Qjic^ail, 

mic  TTlup^aile,  mic  J^cc'pe  Qi6ne, 

TYiic  TTlaoilciJile,  mic  Colmam], 

mic    Simile    (no    Sio^muile,    no  mic  Cobraij;, 

Siogmnine,  no  Siocmume),  mic  ^oibnenn, 

mic  Noibile  (no  Nocba  no  Ogba),  mic  Conaill, 

mic  Cana  (no  Gagna  no  Q^na),  mic  Gojain  Qibne, 

mic  Nat)|^eut)na,  mic  Gocac  bpic, 

mic  ^apbain  (no  ^abpam),  mic  Dari,  pig  Gpeann, 

mic  Sogain   (no  Uobain  no  Uo-  mic  piacpac, 

baig,  no  Uojba),  mic  Gocaba  muigmeaooin,   pij 
mic  bpanain  (no  bponain),  Gpeann. 


^eNeacach  muiMuiTje  s5aNt)6aiN. 


Go^an, 
mac  Qipc  bume, 
TTiic  bpiam  ^aipb, 
mic  TTlagnupa, 
mic  Concabaip, 
mic  TTIuipgeay^a, 


^  Colman,  son  of  Cobthach This  line 

of  pedigree  contradicts  what  is  already 
stated,  namely,  that  O'Shaughnessy  is  of 
the  Cineal  Aodha,  and  descended  from 
Aodh,  son  of  Cobhthach,  not  from  his 
brother  Colman,  the  father  of  Guaire 
Aidline,  and  the  ancestor  of  the  Cineal 
Guaire.     It  is,  therefore,  highly  probable, 


mic  'Caibg, 

mic  QoDa, 

mic  Uoipbealbaig, 

mic  Qoba, 

mic  Concabaip, 


mic 


if  not  absolutely  certain,  that  the  three 
generations  here  enclosed  in  brackets  were 
thrown  in  by  the  modern  genealogists  to 
make  it  appear  that  O'Shaughnessy  was  the 
senior  representative  of  Guaire  Aidhne, 
King  of  Connaught,  so  celebrated  by  the 
Irish  bards  as  the  very  personification  of 
hospitality  (for  the  name  Guaire  Aidhne 


59 


son  of  Donnchadh, 

son  of  Cumaighne,  or  Cumaighe, 

son  of  Feargal, 

son  of  Maolciarain, 

son  of  Caisin,  or  Cas, 

son  of  Murgal, 

son  of  Maoltuile, 

son  of  Simil  (or  Sioglimal,  or  Si- 

oghmiiine,  or  Siothmuine), 
son  of  Mobile  (or  Nocba,  or  Ogba), 
son  of  Cana  (or  Eagna,  or  Aghna), 
son  of  Nadseuclna, 
son  of  Garblian  (or  Gabhran), 
son  of  Soghan  (or  Toban,  or  To- 

bacli,  or  Toglibha), 
son  of  Branan  (or  Bronan), 


son  of  Bran,  or  Brian  Lethdherg, 
son  of  Murchadh, 
son  of  Aodh, 
[son  of  Artghal, 
son  of  Guaire  Aidhne, 
son  of  Colman"'], 
son  of  Cobhthach, 
son  of  Goiblmenn, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne, 
son  of  Eocliaidh  Breac, 
son  of  Dathi,  King  of  Ireland, 
son  of  Fiaclira, 

son  of  Eocliaidh  Muighmheadh- 
oin.  King  of  Ireland. 


PEDIGREE  OF  MUINTER  SCANNLAIN  . 

Eoghan, 

son  of  Art  Buidhe,  son  of  Tadhg, 

son  of  Brian  Garbh,  son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Maghnus,  son  of  Toirdhealbhach, 

son  of  Conchobhar,  son  of  Aodh, 


son  of  Muirgheas. 


son  of  Conchobhar, 


son 


and  generosity  are  nearly  synonimous . 
terms  Avith  the  Irish  bards).  It  will,  how- 
erer,  appear  from  the  descent  of  the  Cinel 
Aodha  above  given,  p.  ^^,  that  O'Shaugh- 
nessy  is  not  of  the  race  of  Guaire — See 
this  subject  further  discussed,  in  the  Pedi- 

I 


gree  of  O'Shaughnessy,  in  the  Addenda  at 
the  end  of  this  volume. 

^  Muinter  Scannlain,  now  anglicised 
Scanlan.  This  family  sunk  at  an  early 
period,  under  the  O'Shaughnessy s  and 
O'Heynes. 


6o 


nmc  peayi^ail, 

niic  TYlaoilciapain, 

nmc  Caipine, 

mic  ITluijigile, 

mic  TTIaoilcuile, 

nmc  Uimile, 

nmc  N 01  bile  uc  fuppa. 


nmc  ^lolla  na  n-eac, 

nmc  Qo6a, 

inic  S^anolain  Oig, 

mic  Ceallai^, 

nmc  ^lolla  beapui^, 

nmc  Oorhnaill, 

nmc  Qo6a, 

nmc  S^anolain, 

Upi  mec  Seanai^  Cinn^arnna,  .1.  Q06  5«^«^-Fctt>a,  aguf  Q06 
bailloep^,  a^up  peapabac,  6  D-rdio  na  caip^,  .1.  Ui  Ouibjiolla 
CO  n-a  b-pinea6aib,  t)d'p  labpap  bea^an  ceana  poirhe  po. 

[^uaipi,  nnac  Colnnain,  nmc  Cobrai^,  nmc  goibnent),  nfiic  Conaill, 
mic  Go^ain  Qi^ni,  mic  Gacac  bpic,  mic  Oaclm,  cpi  meic  Imp,  .1. 
apcjal,  a^up  Geo,  a^up  Nap.     TTlac  t)o'n  Get)  pm  Pep^al ;  Da 


y  Guaire,  the  son  of  Colman — This  pas- 
sage, treating  of  the  descendants  of  Guaire 
Aidhne,  and  here  enclosed  in  brackets,  is 
taken  from  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  80,  p. 
^,  col.  3. 

That  O'Shaughnessy  is  not  of  the  Cinel 
Guaire,  or  race  of  Guaire,  is  further  cor- 
roborated by  the  Topographical  Poem  of 
O'Dugan,  in  which  he  mentions  Mac 
Giolla  Ceallaigh  [Kilkelly]  O'Heidhin 
[O'Heyne],  and  O'Clery,  as  of  the  race  of 
Guaire,  but  O'Shaughnessy  and  O'Cathail 
he  mentions  as  of  the  Cineal  Aodha.  The 
following  are  his  words  : 

tDpuioeani  le  h-Qione  na  n-each, 
Ce  a  n-uaiple  'p  le  n-eineach, 
6eanom  a  pio^a  nac  jann 
6eanom  pe  piol  na  paop-clann. 


mac 

6uaJDeam  Qione  ap  peiom  jan  acr, 
PdgBam  pmeaoa  Connacc, 
6iono-pdiDim  a  maire  amac, 
lonpctiDeam  plaice  O'  b-Piacpac. 

Clann  TTlhic  giolla  Cheallaij  cam, 
Ui  6iDin  na  n-eac  peanjj-bluic, 
(Dfon  a  n-uaille  ap  a  n-apmaib, 
Oo  piol  ^uaipe  jlan-aBpaiD. 

ITIaic  an  peinoio  'p  ap  pleaouc, 
Ua  cleipij  'p  o'd  n-jeinealac. 
Qp  Chinel  Chinojamna  5I0U1, 
Lli  OuiB^iolla  ip  n'd  n-ouroij, 
Uapba  a  D-cpai^  'p  ao-cuile 
O'  TTIajna  ap  cldp  Caonpuioe. 

t)d  pij  Ceneoil  Qooa  ann, 
O'  Seacnapaij  nd  peachnam 


6i 


son  of  Giolla  na  n-eacli, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Scannlan  Og, 

son  of  Ceallach, 

son  of  GioUa-Bearaigli, 

son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Aodh, 


son  of  Feargal, 

son  of  Maoilciarain, 

son  of  Caisin, 

son  of  Muirgeal, 

son  of  Maoiltuile, 

son  of  Timile, 

son  of  Nobile,  nt  supra. 


son  of  Scannlan, 

Seanacli  Ceann  Gamlina,  had  three  sons,  namely,  Aodh  Gabhal- 
fhada,  Baill-derg,  and  Fearadhach,  from  whom  are  the  chieftains, 
namely,  the  O'Duibhghiollas,  with  their  correlatives,  of  whom  I  have 
already  briefly  spoken. 

[Guaire,  the  son  of  Colman^  son  of  Cobhthach,  son  of  Goibhnenn, 
son  of  Conall,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  son  of 
Dathi,  had  three  sons,  viz.,  Artgal,  Aedh,  and  Nar.     This  Aedh  had 


Qp  oib  O'Carail  na  5-cliap 
min  a  acaiD  'p  a  uip-pliab. 

"  Let  us  approach  Aidhne  of  steeds, 
Their  nobility  and  hospitality  ; 
Let  us  follow  their  kings  who  are  not  few, 
Let  us  touch  upon  the  race  of  the  nobles. 

Let  us  treat  of  Aidhne,  it  is  a  duty  without  con- 
dition ; 
Let  us  leave  the  tribes  of  Connaught ; 
Let  us  sweetly  sing  their  chieftains  out ; 
Let  us  celebrate  the  chiefs  of  Hy-Fiachrach. 

The  race  of  the  noble  Mac  Giolla  Ceallaigh, 
The  O'Heynes  of  the  slender -sleek  steeds. 
The  defence  of  whose  pride  depends  on  their  arms 
Of  the  race  of  the  fair-browed  Guaire. 

Good  is  the  hero  and  hospitable 
O'Clery,  who  is  of  their  lineage. 
Over  the  fair  Cinel  Cinngamhna 


a 

Rules  O'DuibhghiolIa,  in  whom  it  is  hereditary, 
Profitable  their  strand  and  flood  ; 
O'Maghna  is  over  the  plain  of  Caenraighe. 

Two  kings  of  Cinel  Aodha  there  are, 
O'Shaughnessy,  whom  I  will  not  shun ; 
Of  them  is  O'Cathail  of  learned  men  : 
Smooth  his  fields  and  his  fertile  mountain." 

In  this  extract  from  O'Dugan's  poem  an 
obvious  distinction  is  made  between  the 
race  of  Guaire,  and  the  tribe  called  Cinel 
Aodha,  of  whom  O'Shaughnessy  was  the 
chief,  so  that  if  he  was  of  the  race  of  King 
Guaire  Aidhne,  as  all  the  modern  writers 
have  asserted,  he  was  not  of  the  Cinel 
Aodha,  for  we  have  seen  above,  p.  ^5,  that 
they  descended  from  Aodh,  son  of  Cobh- 
thach, not  from  Aodh,  the  grandson  of 
Kino;  Guaire. 


62 

rhac  la  pejijal,  .1.  Copmac,  a^up  Gnt)a,  a  quo  Cinel  Gnt)a.  Oibam 
Cojimac  ace  aen  in^en,  .i.  T^ignach,  maraiyi  Colnnain,  niic  Duach, 
6  cd  Ceall  ineic  Ouach. 

Nap,  mac  '^"ctip^  y^noj-ep  cloinni  ^uaipe,  a  quo  Cinel  ^uctiyi^; 
Qp  a  uaiyli  pin  ainmm^rep  uat)  Cinel  n-^uaipi  peach  na  macaib 
ele,  .1.  Qet)  a^up  Qprgal.  Gn  mac  la  Ndp,  .1.  Cobrach;  mac  t)o'n 
Chobcach  pin  piann,  a  quo  Cmel  n-^uaipe.  O'lTla^na  caipic 
Cinnel  n-^uciipi  a^up  Cliaenpami,  cop  gab  TTlac  ^i^^ct  Cheallai^ 
h-i  lapoam,  lap  n-oich  a  Durcaip.  O'Duib^iUa  uaipech  CmelChint) 
jamna.  ITIlacgi^^aCheallai^  caipech  Cinel  n-Juaipe;  O  Cachan 
caipech  Cinel  lanna  a^up  ip  t)'d  Durcupacaib  6  TTlocan  a^up  6 
h-oipeccai^  a^up  Ivi  TTlapcacan.    Cmel  Qeoa  meic  ^uaipi  ann  pin. 

TTIa^  phiacpa  catpec  O151  bechpa,  agup  a  Ducliupaig  6  Caem- 
a^an,  a^up  6  Ouba^an,  a^up  TTle^  phlannagan]. 

TTlaolpabaill  6a  mac  laip,  .i.  Cu^aola  a^up  Tnaolculaipo 
arai]!  ^^o^^l^ct  na  naom  a^up  piaicbeaprui^,  auap  ^lo^^ct  lopa,  Con- 
^aola  (o  t)-caiD  TTlec  Con^aola)  TTluipeaboi^  a^up  5^^^^^^ 
piiuppa. 

^lolla  na  naorh,  mac  Con^aola  aon  mac  laip,  .1.  Qoo,  araip 
■^biolla  na  naorh  a^up  ^^^lol^^ct  Cheallai^  arap  Qoba  (pipi  paici 

rriaoi 

'  (yMaghna This  is  probably  tlie  name  of  the  race  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Niall  of  the 

now  anglicised  Mooney,   of  Avhich  there  Nine  Hostages. 

are  some   respectable   families   in  West-         '=■  O^Mochan,  now  Mohan. 

meath.  '^  G'h-Oirecktaigh,  now  Heraghty,    and 

*  Mac  Giolla  Ceallaigh,  now  sometimes  some  have  corrupted  the  name  to  Geraghty, 

anglicised  Kilkelly,   and  sometimes  Killi-  which  is  the  name  of  a  family  of  different 

kelly,  and  the  name  is  still  very  respect-  descent  and  more  celebrity  in  Irish  his 

able  in  the  county  of  Galway.  tory. 

"  O'Cathan,  now  Kane  ;  but  this  family         e  QPMarcachain This  name   is  still 

is  to  be  distinguished  from  the  O'Cathains  numerous  in  the  county  of  Clare,  where  it 

or  Kanes,  of  the  county  of  Derry,  who  are  is    anglicised   Markham,    and   sometimes 


63 

a  son  Fergal ;  Fergal  had  two  sons,  viz.,  Cormac,  and  Enda  a  quo 
Cinel  Enda.  The  issue  of  Cormac  became  extinct  except  one 
daughter,  Righnach,  the  mother  of  St.  Cohnan  Mac  Duach,  a  quo 
Ceall  mic  Duach,  i.  e.  Kilmacduagli. 

Nar,  the  son  of  Guaire,  was  the  eldest  of  his  sons,  a  quo  Cinel 
Guaire.  The  Cinel  Guaire  are  called  after  him  for  his  nobleness 
beyond  the  other  sons,  Aedh  and  Artgal.  Nar  had  one  son,  namely, 
Cobhthach;  Cobhtliach  had  a  son  Flann,  a  quo  Cinel  Guaire. 
O'Maghna^  was  chief  of  the  Cinel  Guaire  and  of  the  Caenraighe  until 
Mac  Giolla  Ceallaigh^  deprived  him  of  his  patrimonial  inheritance. 
O'DuibhghioUa  is  the  chief  of  Cinel  Cinngamhna  ;  Mac  Gilla  Cheal- 
laigh  is  chief  of  Cinel  Guaire ;  O'Cathan"  is  chief  of  Cinel  lanna, 
and  of  his  followers  are  CMochan*",  O'h-Oirechtaigh'',  and  the  O'Mar- 
cachans^     So  far  the  Cinel  Guaire. 

Mag  Fhiachra^  is  the  chief  of  Gig  Bethra,  and  his  retainers  are 
O'Caemhagan^,  O'Dubhagan'',  and  the  Mag  Flannagans'], 

Maolfabhaill  had  two  sons,  namely,  Maolchulaird  and  Cugaola, 
the  father  of  Giolla  na  naomh  and  Flaithbheartach,  who  was  the 
father  of  Giolla  losa,  and  Cugaola,  from  whom  is  the  family  of  Mac 
Conghaola\  as  also  of  Muireadhach  and  Giolla  Fursa. 

Giolla  na  naomh,  the  son  of  Cugaola,  had  one  son,  namely,  Aodh, 
the  fatlier  of  Giolla  na  naomh  and  Giolla  Ceallaigh,  who  was  the 

father 

translated  Ryder,  because  the  Irish  word  ^  0' Dubhagan,  now  Dugan  and  Duggan, 

mapcac  signifies  a  horseman.  but  this  family  is  to  be  distinguished  from 

f  Mag  Fhiachra. — This  name  is  still  to  the  O'Dubhagains  of  Hy-Many. 

be  found  in  Aidhne,  anglicised  M'Keighry,  i    Mag   Flannagan,    unknown    to    the 

and  by  some  metamorphosed  to  Keary,  Editor, 

and  even  Carey.  J  Mac  Conghaola,   now  probably   Con- 

^  O'Caemhagan,  unknown  to  the  Editor,  neely. 
It  would  be  anglicised  Kevigan. 


64 


TTlaol  na  m-bo)  Ighiolla  na  naorh  aguy^  Chongaola.    TTlaol  na  m-bo 
aon  rhac  ley,  .1.  Q06. 

^GMea^acii  ui  et)hiN. 

Go^an,  a^up  TTIuipceapcac,  6a 


mac  Oonricuib, 

TTiic  Qo6a, 

Tnic  Gojam, 

nnic  ^lolla  na  naorh, 

Tmc  ^iolla  Ceallai^, 

rmc  Qo6a, 

TTiic  ^loUa  na  naorh  na  pojla, 

nrnc  Cori^aola, 

TTiic  maoilpabuill, 

mic  piomn, 

Q06  buibe, 
mac  irnui|icea]icai5, 
mic  Oonncinb, 


mic  G6in, 
mic  Clepij;, 
mic  Ceuoaboi^, 
mic  Cumap^ai^, 
mic  Carrho^a, 
mic  "Coiipa, 
mic  peap^aile, 
mic  Qpc^aile, 
mic  5"C(ipe  Qi6ne. 


mic  CXoba, 
mic  Gogain,  ~\c. 


Gogan, 
mac  Qo6a  6ui6e, 
mic  Qo6a, 


O'N  cai^hDia^aN. 

mic  Go^am, 
mic  Gmoinn, 


mic 


'  G'Hedhin,  now  O'Heyne  and  Hynes. 
It  is  curious  that  Mac  Firbis  dropped  the 
i  in  the  first  syllable  of  Gmin,  for  in  their 
own  country  it  is  pronounced  diphthong- 
ally  like  the  German  ei  or  the  English 
eye;  but  this  was  to  conform  with  his 
own  system  of  orthography  alluded  to  in 
the  Preface  to  this  volume.    The  pedigree 


of  this  family  shall  be  fully  discussed  in 
the  Addenda  to  this  volume.  The  O'  Clery  s 
give  the  line  as  follows  : — Muircheartach 
and  Eoghan,  two  sons  of  Donnchadh,  son 
of  Aedh,  son  of  John,  son  of  Eoghan,  son 
of  Giolla  na  naomh,  son  of  Giolla  Ceallaigh, 
son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Conchobhar,  son  of 
Flann,   son  of  Giolla  na  naomh,   son  of 


65 

father  of  Aodh  (who  was  usually  called  Maol  na  m-bo),  and  also  of 
GioUa  na  naomh  and  Cugaola.  Maol  na  m-bo  had  one  son,  namely 
Aodh. 

PEDIGKEE  or  o'h-EDHIN^. 

Eodian  and  Muircheartach, 

two  sons  of  Donnchadh,  son  of  Flann, 

son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Edhm, 

son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Clereach, 

son  of  GioUa  na  naomh,  son  of  Ceadadhach, 

son  of  Giolla  Cheallaigh,  son  of  Cumascach, 

son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Cathmogha, 

son  of  Giolla  na  naomh  of  the  son  of  Torpa, 


plunder, 
son  of  Cugaola, 
son  of  Maolfabhuill, 

Aodh  Buidhe  [O'h-Edhin], 
son  of  Muircheartach, 
son  of  Donnchadh, 


son  of  Feargal, 
son  of  Artghal, 
son  of  Guaire  Aidhne. 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Eoghan,  &c. 


THE  FAMILY  OF  LAIGHDIAGAn' 

Eoghan  [O'h-Edhin], 
son  of  Aodh  Buidhe, 
son  of  Aodh, 


son  of  Eoghan, 
son  of  Edmond, 


son 


Aidhin  from  wliom  the  surname,  son  of 
Cugaela,  son  of  Giolla  Clieallaigli,  son  of 
Comaltan,  son  of  Maolceararda,  or  Flann, 
son  of  Maolfabliaill,  son  of  Cleireach,  from 
wliom  are  the  O'Clerys,  son  of  Ceada- 
dhach, &c.,  as  in  Mac  Firbis. 


1  Laighdiagan,  now  anglicised  Lydican  : 
it  is  the  name  of  a  townland  containing 
the  ruins  of  an  old  castle,  situated  in  the 
parish  of  Ardrahan,  about  four  miles  south- 
east of  the  little  town  of  Kinvara,  in  the 
barony  of  Kiltartan,  and  county  of  Galway. 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.    12. 


K 


66 

mic  Concabai|i,  rnic  Qoba  6ui6e. 

Concaba|i  Cpon, 
mac  pioinn, 
mic  Concabaiji  Chpoin  canmpDe  Ui  ebin. 

Go^an  TTlancac, 
TYiac  Uoi|i6ealbai5,  rmc  Concabaip, 

mic  eo^ain,  niic  6|iiain, 

mic  emoinn,  ttiic  Qoba  6ui6e. 

mic  pioinn, 

Gumonn,  ai|icinneac  ChiUe  ITlhec  Duac, 
mac  Puai6|ii,  ^,c  Concabaip, 

^^^  ^'^Sain,  mic  bpiain, 

^^"  ^r^^''  niic  Qoba  6iii6e  pearfiriaire. 

mic  pioinn,  ' 

t)UN  eo^haiN. 

C[o6  rneipjeac, 

^«"  ^^^«^^'  mic  Qoba  buibe, 

mic  Qoba  buibe,  ^,^  pi^^^^ 

mic  bpiain  na  caojiaoijeacra, 

C[ob  buibe, 

mac  pioinn,  ^,^  r»i  2.     • 

JT,         '  mic  pioinn  buiDe. 

mic  pioinn, 

O'N 

■"^^y*.^  *<.«tec;,,  i.  e.  Owen  the  tooth-     Kiltartan],  i„  the  county  of  Gahvay,  was 
less     It  appears  by  an  order  of  the  Conn-     the  chief  of  his  namcisee  Pedigr  e  of 

si  trr    '  t         ,*""'  "  ^"'  """y-     °'«'y™  '"  "-  Addenda  to  this  vdume. 
;86,  thatOwen  Mantach  O'Hein,  of  Ly-         '  AircMnneack.  of  CM  Mhic  Duach,  i.  e 
degane,m  the  barony  of  Kiltaraght  [now     herenach    of    the    lands     belo„.in„     to 


6; 

son  of  Flann,  son  of  Brian, 

son  of  Conchobhar,  son  of  Aodh  Buidhe,  &c. 

Conchobhar  Cron, 
son  of  Flann, 
son  of  Conchobhar  Cron,  Tanist  of  O'h-Edhin. 

Eo^han  Mantach"", 
son  of  Toirdhealbhach,  son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Brian, 

son  of  Edmond,  son  of  Aodh  Buidhe. 

son  of  Flann, 

Edmond,  airchinneach  of  Cill  Mhic  Duach", 
son  of  Ruaidliri,  son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Brian, 

son  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Aodh  Buidhe  aforesaid, 

son  of  Flann, 

THE  FAMILY  OF  DUN  EOGHAIN°. 

Aodh  Meirgeach, 
son  of  Brian,  son  of  Aodh  Buidhe, 

son  of  Aodh  Buidhe,  son  of  Flann. 

son  of  Brian  na  caoraoigheachta, 

THE  FAMILY  OF  DUN  GUAIEE^. 

Aodh  Buidhe, 
son  of  Flann,  son  of  Flann  Buidhe. 

son  of  Flann, 

THE 
O'Heyne's  Monastery,  at  Kilmacduagh.  P  Dun  Guaire,  i.  e.   Guaire's  fort,  or 

°Dun  Eoghain,  now  Dunowen,  the  name  fortified  residence,  now  Dungorey,  a  castle 
of  a  towuland  containing  the  ruins  of  a  in  good  preservation,  situated  immediately 
fort  in  which  stood  a  castle  in  the  parish  to  the  east  of  the  little  seaport  town  of 
and  barony  of  Kiltartan.  Kinvara,  in  the  barony  of  Kiltartan.   This 

K2 


68 


O'N  6UachaT?NU13h. 
^eapalr  agijp  6pian,  Da 
mac  pioinn,  rrnc  Qoba  6ui6e, 

TT11C  Concabaiji,  niic  piomn. 

niic  bpiain  na  Caoiiaoijeacca, 


Sewea^ach  mec  ^lo^ca  chea^^ai^h 

JioUa  Cheallai^, 
TYiac  Comalcdin,  a  quo  Ui  Co 

naalcdin, 
TTiic  TTlaoilculdipt), 
TY11C  TTlaoilpabaill, 
TTiic  pioinn, 

TTiic  G6in,  6  t)-udt)  Ui  66in, 
nmc  Clepi^,  a  quo  Ui  Clepi^, 


nmc  CeuDajai^,  a  quo  Ui  Ceu- 

Da^ai^, 
mic  CuTTiap^ai^, 
TTIIC  Cacmoga,   a   quo   Ui   Car- 

TTioja, 
TTiic  Uojipa,  -]c. 


Seweacach  meic  51066a  chea^^ai^h. 

Jiollct  na  naorh, 
TTiac  ^lolla  Cheallai^,  Tine  Concobaip, 

TTIIC  Qeoha,  nnc  pioinn, 


TTllC 


castle  was  erected  on  the  site  of  tlie  palace 
of  Guaire  Aidhne,  King  of  Connaught, 
the  ancestor  of  the  O'Heynes,  who  erected 
this  and  several  other  castles  in  its  vici- 
nity. It  is  stated  in  Lewis's  Topographi- 
cal Dictionary  that  "  the  castle  of  Doon 
belonged  to  Flann  Killikelly,  but  that 
about  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  Eory  More 
Darag  O'Shanghnessy  took  it  from  him, 
totally  demolished  it,  and  erected  one  near 
its  site,  which  he  named  Doongorey."  But 


this  is  a  vague  tradition  not  supported  by 
any  historical  authority,  as  will  be  shown 
in  the  pedigree  of  O'Heyne  at  the  end  of 
this  volume. 

*i  Luacharnach,  i.  e.  rushy  land,  now 
Lougharnagh,  a  townland  in  the  district 
of  Coin  O'bh-Fiachrach,  in  the  barony  of 
Kiltartan. 

''  Mac  Giolla  Cheallaigh,  now  anglicised 
Kilkelly  and  Killikelly.  The  chief  seat 
of  this  family  was  the  castle  of  Cloghbally- 


69 


THE  FAMILY  OF  LUACHAENACH'*. 

Gerald  and  Brian, 
two  sons  of  Flann,  son  of  Aodli  Buidlie, 

son  of  Conchobhar,  son  of  Flann. 

son  of  Brian  na  caoraoiglieachta, 


PEDIGREE  OF  MAC  GIOLLA  CHEALLAIGH  . 


GioUa  Clieallaigli, 
son  of  Comaltan,  from  whom  are 

the  O'Comaltains, 
son  of  Maolchulaird, 
son  of  Maolf  habhaill, 
son  of  Flann, 

son  of  Edhin,  a  quo  the  O'h-Edhins, 
son  of  Clereach,  a  quo  the  O'Cle- 

righs, 


son  of  Ceudadhachh,   a  quo  Ui 

Ceudaghaigh, 
son  of  Cumasgach, 
son   of  Cathmogh,    a    quo    the 

O'Cathmoghas, 
son  of  Torpa,  &c. 


[pedigree  of  mac  GIOLLA  CHEALLAIGH". 

GioUa  na  naomh, 
son  of  GioUa  Cheallaigh,  son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Flann, 


son 


more,  still  standing  in  ruins  in  the  parish 
of  Kileenavarra,  barony  of  Dunkellin,  and 
county  of  Galway. 

*  Mac  GioUa  Cheallaigh This  line  of 

Mac  GiollaCheallaigh's  pedigree  is  inserted 
from  the  genealogical  MS.  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Peregrine  O'Clery,  now  pre- 
served in  the  Library  of  the  Royal  Irish 
Academy;  it  comes  down  seven  genera- 


tions later  than  the  line  given  by  Mac  Fir- 
bis.  In  the  same  MS.  is  given  another  line 
of  pedigree  of  this  family,  which  cannot  be 
considered  correct,  but  it  is  added  here  that 
nothing  relating  to  this  family  may  be  omit- 
ted. "  Flann,  son  of  Murchadh,  son  of  Gi- 
oUa Cheallaigh,  from  whom  is  Mac  Giolla 
Cheallaigh,  son  of  Aodh  Cleireach,  from 
whom  are  descended  the  Clann  Clery  of 


70 

rrnc  JioUa  na  naorh,  ttiic  CeDabai^, 

inic  Con^aela,  mic  CuTnuy^^ai^, 

rrnc  ^lolla  Cheallaij,  6  paicea|i    mic  Carma^a, 


an  y^lonoaD, 
mic  Comalcain, 
mic  pioinn,  .i.  TTlaelceapaiiD, 
mic  ITlaoilpabaill, 
mic  Clepig  6  cdc  Uf  Cleipi^, 

piann, 
mac  Condin, 
TTiic  Connmai^, 
mic  CairniaD, 
mic  Qoba, 

Qpcjal, 
mac  piairniao, 
mic  peap^ail, 


mic  Uoppra, 
mic  peap^aile, 
mic  Qpcgaile, 
nriic  ^uaipe  Qibne]. 


mic  Uoppa, 
mic  peapjaile, 
mic  Qpc^aile, 
mic  ^aipe  QiDne. 

mic  Qprgail, 

mic  ^uaipe  Qibne. 


[O  pop  popcamlai^  cpa  jabdlcup  J^^^  (•^-   t)upcai5  t)o  pfol 
Uilliam  quonquep),  pop  an  pliocc  pm  Gachoac  bpic,  mic  Oachi, 


Breifny-O'Reilly,  being  of  the  tribe  of 
Diarmaid  Ruadh, — from  whom  is  called 
O'Ruaidhin, — son  of  Aedh,  son  of  Colman, 
son  of  Cobhthach,  son  of  Gaibhnenn,  son 
of  Conall,  son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Eochaidh 
Breac,  son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  son  of 
Eochaidh  Mviighmheadhoin." 

'  Flann,  son  of  Lonan. — He  was  a  cele- 
brated poet  of  Connaught,  and  flourished 
towards  the  close  of  the  ninth  century. 
He  is  styled  the  Virgil  of  the  Eace  of 
Scota  by  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year 


mic 

918 See  O'Reilly's  Irish  Writers,  pp. 

58,  59- 

"  [  When  the  English  invasion,  &c All 

this  matter  enclosed  in  brackets,  down  to 
the  end  of  the  pedigree  of  the  O'Clerys, 
has  been  inserted  from  Peregrine  O'Clery's 
genealogical  MS.  now  deposited  in  the 
Library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy. 
Mac  Firbis  has  omitted  this  family  alto- 
gether, but,  as  it  appears  from  the  authen- 
tic Irish  Annals  that  they  had  supplied 
many  distinguished  chiefs  to  the  territory 


son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 

son  of  Cugaela, 

son  of  Giolla    Cheallaigh,  from 

whom  the  surname  is  called, 
son  of  Comaltan, 
son  of  Flann,  i.  e.  Maelcearard, 
son  of  Maelfabhaill, 
son  of  Cleireach,  from  whom  the 

Flann, 
son  of  Lonan\ 
son  of  Conmach, 
son  of  Caithniadh, 
son  of  Aodh, 

Artgal, 
son  of  Flaithniadh, 
son  of  Feargal, 

[When   the   English   invasion"    [recte   invaders],   namely,    the 
Burkes  of  the  race  of  William  the  Conqueror'',  prevailed  over  the  race 

of 


O'Clerys, 
son  of  Ceadadhach, 
son  of  Cumasgach, 
son  of  Cathmogh, 
son  of  Torptha, 
son  of  Feargal, 
son  of  Artgal, 
son  of  Guaire  Aidhne]. 

son  of  Torpa, 

son  of  Feargal, 

son  of  Artgal, 

son  of  Guaire  Aidhne. 


son  of  Artgal, 

son  of  Guaire  Aidhne. 


of  Hy-Fiaehrach  Aidhne,  the  Editor,  deem- 
ing it  a  pity  that  they  should  not  have 
their  place  among  the  families  of  the  race 
of  Guaire  Aidhne  here  treated  of,  has  taken 
the  liberty  to  lay  before  the  reader  the 
account  which  this  family  have  written  of 
themselves.  And  as  a  branch  of  them  be- 
came poets  and  historians  to  the  chiefs  of 
Tirconnell,  their  genealogical  compilation 
is  as  much  entitled  to  respect  and  historical 
credence  as  that  of  Mac  Firbis,  or  any 
other  Irish  compiler  of  their  time. 


■^  William  the  Conqueror — This  is  not 
William  the  Conquerer  of  England,  but 
William  Fitz  Adelm  De  Burgo,  who  is 
generally  styled  the  Conqueror  by  Irish 
writers,  because  he  conquered  the  province 
of  Connaught.  This  celebrated  man,  the 
ancestor  of  all  the  Burkes  of  Ireland,  died 
in  the  year  1 204,  according  to  the  Annals 
of  Clonmacnoise  and  the  Four  Masters, 
in  both  which  his  character  is  described 
in  such  words  as  show  that  he  was  no 
greater  favourite  with  the  Irish,  than  with 


72 


nriic  piaclipac,  po  po6lait),  a^up  po  li-eifpei6ir  apaill  x^^oh  int) 
aile  chpfochaib,  .i.  TTlac  J^^^^*^  Cheallai^  co  h-loppup  laprhaip, 
a^up  Dpong  o'Uib  Cleipi^  h-i  Uip  Qrhal^aba  inic  piacpacli,  agup 
Dpeam  aile  t)o'n  Tllhurhain,  co  pon  aircpeabpac  h-i  cortipogup 
Chille  CainDi^,  a^up  apoile  6i6b  50  bpeipne  Uf  Pa^allai^,  Dia 
n-gapap  Clann  Cleipij.  Docaoc  t)no,  lap  t)-rpioll,  peap  ea^naib 
Do  UibCleipigli  d  Uip  Qrhal^am  rhic  piacpach  50  Cenel  ^-Conaill 

rhic 


his  own  countryman,  Giraldus  Cambren- 
sis,  wlio  in  his  Hibernia  Expugnata  (lib. 
ii.  c.  16,  Camden's  Edition,  p.  793),  draws 
his  character  in  very  black  colours.  The 
Irish  writers  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
however,  attempted  to  break  down  the 
testimony  of  Giraldus,  and  of  the  older  na- 
tive writers,  but  with  little  success,  as  they 
have  not  been  able  to  find  any  one  good  trait 
in  his  character  on  record.  Connell  Ma- 
geoghegan,  who  was  probably  related  to 
the  Burkes,  has  the  following  very  curious 
note  on  the  horrid  account  of  his  death  in 
the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  :  "  These  and 
many  other  reproachfull  Avords  my  author 
layeth  down  in  the  old  book,  which  I  was 
loath  to  translate,  because  they  were  ut- 
tered by  him  for  the  disgrace  of  so  worthy 
and  noble  a  man  as  William  Burk  was,  and 
left  out  other  his  reproachfull  words,  Avhich 
he  (as  I  conceive)  rather  declared  of  an 
evil  Avill,  which  he  did  bear  towards  the 
said  William,  then  any  other  just  cause." 
Duald  Mac  Firbis  also  attempts,  in  his 
pedigree  of  the  Earl  of  Clanrickard,  to  de- 
fend the  character  of  Fitz  Adelm  by  stat- 
ing that  Giraldus  was  prejudiced  against 


him ;  and  it  must  be  admitted  on  comparing 
the  character  which  Giraldus  gives  of  Fitz 
Adelm,  with  that  of  his  (Giraldus's)  own 
uncle  Fitz-Stephen,  that  there  was  more 
or  less  of  prejudice  in  the  way  ;  but  still 
when  it  is  considered  that  William  Fitz 
Adelm  De  Burgo's  character,  as  drawn  by 
Giraldus,  does  not  much  differ  from  that 
given  of  him  in  the  Annals  of  Clanmac- 
noise,  it  is  clearly  unfair  to  conclude  that 
both  are  false,  though  it  may  be  allowed 
that  both  are  overdrawn,  as  Giraldus  was 
undoubtedly  prejudiced,  and  as  the  Irish 
ecclesiastic,  who  compiled  the  Annals  of 
Clonmacnoise,  could  not  be  expected  to 
give  a  perfectly  impartial  account  of  an  in- 
vader and  conqueror,  who  had  plundered 
the  church  of  Clonmacnoise  and  all  the 
most  sacred  churches  of  Connaught. 

^  lorruslarihair,  i.  e.  the  western  lorrus. 
This  is  evidently  the  barony  of  Erris,  in 
the  west  of  the  present  county  of  Mayo. 
There  are  other  smaller  districts  called 
lorrus  verging  on  the  ocean,  in  the  west 
of  the  county  of  Galway,  as  lorrus  Ain- 
theach,  lorrus  Mor,  and  lorrus  Beag. 


73 


of  Eocliaidh  Breac,  the  son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Fiaclira,  some  of  the 
latter  scattered  and  dispersed  themselves  in  various  territories : 
Mac  Giolla  Cheallaigh  went  to  lorrus  larthair"',  and  some  of  the 
O'Clerys  into  Tir  Amhalgaidh  mhic  Fiachrach'',  and  others  into 
Munster,  where  they  dwelt  in  the  vicinity  of  Kilkenny^ ;  and  others 
of  them  called  Clann  Cleirio;h,  went  to  Breifne  Ui  Rao-hallaigh^. 
There  passed  also,  after  some  time,  from  Tir  Amhalgaidh  mhic  Fiach- 
rach  into  Cinel  Conaill  mhic  Neill*,  a  wise  man  of  the  O'Clerys,  whose 

name 


^  Tir  Amhalgaidh  mhic  Fiachrach,  i.  e. 
the  country  of  Awlej,  the  son  of  Fiachra 
(brother  of  the  monarch  Dathi) ;  now  con- 
tracted to  Tirawley,  a  barony  in  the  north- 
east of  the  county  of  Mayo. 

y  To  Munster,  where  they  dwelt  in  the 
vicinity  of  Kilkenny This  is  in  accord- 
ance with  the  ancient  division  of  the  pro- 
vinces, not  Avith  that  in  the  time  of  the 
writer,  for  then  Kilkenny  was  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Leinster.  But,  according  to  the 
ancient  division  of  the  provinces, — which 
the  O'Clerys  knew  far  better  than  the 
modern — Urmhumhain,  Ormond,  or  East 
Munster,  extended  from  Gabhrau,  now 
Gowran,  in  the  east  of  the  present  county 
of  Kilkenny,  westwards  to  Cnamh-choill, 
now  corruptly  Cleath-choill,  near  the  town 
of  Tipperary — (not  Knawhill,  as  Haliday 
states  in  his  translation  of  the  first  part  of 
Keating's  History  of  Ireland), — and  from 
Bearnan  Eile,  now  the  DeviL's  Bit  Moun- 
tain, on  the  frontiers  of  the  baronies  of 
Ikerrin  and  Eliogarty,  in  the  county  of 
Tipperary,  southwards  to  Oilean  Ui  Bhric, 
or  O' Brick's  island,  near  Bunmahon,  in  the 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  L 


present  county  of  Waterford. 

^  Breifne  Ui  Baghallaigh  (anglicised 
Brennie,  and  Breffny  O'Eeilly),  was  the  an- 
cient territory  of  the  O'Reillys,  and  com- 
prised the  entire  of  the  county  of  Cavan, 
except  the  baronies  of  Tullyhunco(Cealac 
tDhuncaoa)  and  TuUyhaw  (Uealac  6ac- 
DQc),  which  were  separated  from  Breffny 
O'Rourke,  when  the  county  of  Cavan  was 
formed. 

^  Cinel  Conaill  mhic  Neill,  i.  e.  the  race 
of  Conall,  son  of  Niall.  Here  the  name  of 
the  people  is  put  for  that  of  the  territory, 
which  is  very  usual  with  Irish  writers  ; 
but  when  they  wish  to  distinguish  the 
country  from  the  people  they  prefix  Tir, 
as  Tir  Conaill  instead  of  Cinel  Conaill. 
This  territory  comprised  originally  the 
entire  of  thepresent  county  of  Donegal,  ex- 
cept the  territories  of  Inishowen  and  Magh 
Itha,  now  the  barony  of  Raphoe,  which 
belonged  to  the  Cinel  Eoghain,  or  race  of 
Eoghan,  who  was  the  brother  of  Conall ; 
but  in  later  ages  these  territories  were 
ceded  to  O'Donnell,  and  were  considered 
a  part  of  his  country  of  Tirconnell. 


74 


rhic  Neill,  Coppmac  mac  DiapinaDa  Ui  Cleipi^  a  coTn-mnTYi,  a^uy 
ba  i^aoi  poipcre  ip  in  t)d  bli^eab,  .1.  ciuil  a^up  canoin.    IRo  ca|i]^ar 

TTianai^ 


^  The  two  laws,  civil  and  canon Connell 

Mageoghegan  says,  in  a  note  in  his  trans- 
lation of  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  at 
the  year  13 17,  that  the  old  Irish  "  Fene- 
chus  or  Brehon  Lawe  was  none  other  but 
the  Civil  Law  which  the  Brehons  had  to 
themselves  in  an  obscure  and  unknown 
language,  which  none  cou'd  understand 
except  those  that  studied  in  the  open 
schools  they  had."  But  this  assertion, 
made  in  1627  by  a  man  who  evidently 
Avas  not  acquainted  with  the  Brehon  Laws 
of  Ireland,  written  "  in  an  obscure  and  un- 
knoAvn  tongue,"  or  with  the  civil  law  con- 
tained in  the  Pandects  of  Justinian,  can- 
not be  considered  true,  unless  we  are  to 
suppose  that  by  the  word  civil  he  meant 
merely  the  municipal  common  law  of  the 
Irish.  Nothing  is  more  certain  than  that 
the  Brehon  or  Fenechus  Laws  of  the  Irish 
had  been  in  use  among  them  for  ages  be- 
fore they  became  acquainted  with  the 
Civil  Law  or  Pandects  of  Justinian  ;  for 
it  does  not  appear  that  the  Irish  had  any 
acquaintance  with  this  law  until  about 
the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
when  it  was  established  aU  over  the  west 
of  Europe.  About  the  year  1 1 30,  a  copy 
of  Justinian's  Pandects  being  discovered 
at  Amalfi,  soon  brought  the  civil  law  into 
vogue  all  over  the  west  of  Europe,  where, 
before  that  period,  it  had  been  quite  laid 
aside  and  almost  forgotten,  though  some 


traces  of  its  authority  remained  in  Italy, 
and  the  eastern  provinces  of  the  empire. 
This  now  became  in  a  particular  manner 
the  favourite  law  of  the  clergy,  who  bor- 
rowed the  method  of  many  of  the  maxims 
of  the  canon  law  from  it.  The  study  of 
it  was  introduced  into  several  Universities 
abroad,  particularly  that  of  Bologna,  where 
exercises  were  performed,  lectures  read, 
and  degrees  conferred  as  well  in  this  faculty 
as  in  other  branches  of  science  :  and  many 
nations  on  the  continent,  just  then  re- 
covering from  the  convulsions  consequent 
upon  the  overthrow  of  the  Roman  empire, 
and  settling  by  degrees  into  peaceable 
forms  of  government,  adopted  the  civil 
law,  being  the  best  written  code  then  ex- 
tant, as  the  basis  of  their  several  consti- 
stitutions,  blending  and  interweaving  it 
among  their  own  customs,  in  some  places 
with  an  extensive,  in  others  a  confined 
authority. — See  Domat's  Treatise  of  Law, 
c.  1 8,  sect.  9,  and  Epistle  of  Innocent  IV. 
in  M.  Paris,  at  the  year  1 254. 

It  appears  to  have  been  first  introduced 
into  England  by  Theobald,  a  Norman 
abbot,  who  was  elected  to  the  See  of  Can- 
terbury in  the  year  1138  :  he  was  much 
attached  to  this  new  study,  and  brought 
over  with  him  in  his  retinue  many  learned 
proficients  in  it,  and  among  others  Roger, 
surnamed  Vacarius,  whom  he  placed  in 
the  University  of  Oxford  to  teach  it  there. 


IS 


name  was  Cormac  Mac  Diarmaid  O'Clery,  and  who  was  a  learned 
proficient  in  the  two  laws,  civil  and  canon".     The  monks  and  eccle- 
siastics 


How  soon  after  it  found  its  way  into  Ire- 
land cannot  be  easily  determined.  No 
mention  is  made  of  the  civil  law  in  the 
Irish  Annals  before  the  thirteenth  cen- 
tury, and  it  is  quite  evident  that  bpeic- 
e  aril  nap  so  often  mentioned  meant  the 
Brehon  and  Canon  Laws. 

At  the  year  1126  the  Four  Masters 
record  the  death  of  Maoiliosa  Ua  Coinne, 
the  most  learned  of  the  Irish,  in  history, 
in  judicature  (bpeiceariinup),  and  in  the 
TJrd  Padraig  ;  but  it  will  appear  from 
many  entries  in  the  Irish  Annals  that 
there  were  professors  of  the  civil  and 
canon  laws  in  Ireland  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  very  many  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fourteenth.  The  following  entry, 
in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  as  trans- 
lated by  Connell  Mageoghegan,  is  curious 
as  throwing  some  light  upon  this  subject: 

"  A.  D.  1328 Morish  O'Gibelan,  mas- 
ter of  art,  one  exceeding  Avell  learned  in 
the  new  and  old  laws,  civille  and  cannon, 
a  cunning  and  skillfull  philosopher,  an 
excellent  poet  in  Irish,  an  eloqiient  and 
exact  speaker  of  the  speech,  which  in  Irish 
is  called  Ogham,  and  one  that  was  well 
seen  in  many  other  good  sciences.  He 
was  a  cannon  and  singer  at  Twayme,  01- 
fyn,  Aghaconary,  Killalye,  Enaghdown, 
and  Clonfert.  He  was  official  and  common 
judge  of  these  dioceses,  ended  his  life  this 
year." 


This  passage  is  given  by  the  Four  Mas- 
ters thus  : 

"  A.  D.  1328,  Maurice  O'GibeUain,  chief 
professor  of  the  new  Law,  the  old  Law, 
and  the  canon  Law,  a  truly  learned  phi- 
losopher and  a  Cananach  coradh  of  Tuam, 
Elphin,  and  Achonry,  Killala,  Annadown 
and  Clonfert,  the  official  and  the  general 
Brehon  of  the  archbishoprick,  died." 

Now  it  is  quite  evident  that  by  the  old 
law  is  here  meant  the  old  Brehon  law  of 
Ireland,  which  had  been  modified  by  the 
ancient  Irish  ecclesiastics  at  various  pe- 
riods, and  that  by  the  new  law  is  meant  the 
Justinian  Code,  or  civil  law,  then  lately 
introduced.  That  the  ancient  Irish  eccle- 
siastics had  adopted  the  Brehon  law  as 
modified  by  the  early  saints  of  the  Irish 
Church,  is  clear  from  the  laws  themselves, 
which  contain  several  ecclesiastical  and 
monastic  rules  and  regulations  ;  but  how 
far  the  Justinian  Code,  or  civil  law,  mo- 
dified these  in  the  thirteenth  or  fourteenth 
centuries  is  unknown.  Various  laws  of 
the  primitive  Irish  saints  are  referred  to 
in  the  Irish  Annals,  but  whether  these 
were  monastic  rules  or  municipal  rules 
or  regulations  for  the  people  in  general, 
is  not  yet  ascertained.  The  following 
laws  are  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of 
Clonmacnoise  as  translated  by  Connell 
Mageoghegan  : — the  laws  of  St.  Kieran,  at 
the  year  740  ;  the  laws  of  St.  Patrick,  at 
2 


76 

TTianai^  ccguf  fjiuire  Tnaim]^r|ie  S.  beapnapD,  t)ia  n-jajiaji  mainip- 
riji  Gapa  Ruaib,  eipibe  ap  a  caorhai]iillea6,  a^uy^  ap  a  t^ei^-bepaip, 
ap  a  eagna,  agup  ap  a  innclecu,  a^up  pop  poccpac  i  n-a  n-aonuai6 
ppi  pe.  6a  11-65  aoiDeaohach  an  lonbaib  pin  eipiorh.  Ua  S^m^in 
ba  Vi-ollarn  peanchupa  t)o  ui^eapna  Ceneoil  Conaill,  .1,  o'  Ua  Dorh- 
naill  achaiD  imchian  piap  an  can  pm,  a^up  d  h-QpO  Chapna,  a 
TTlui^  (-nip5  ctn  Oa^ba,  oup  pdnaicc  ceuup  50  Cenel  Conaill. 
Niall  5^P^»  ^^^  Qe6a,  mic  Dorhnaill  O15  ba  ci^eapna  pop  an 
5-cpic  an  can  00  n-dnaic  an  Copbmac  ac  pubpamop,  agup  ba  h-e 
Ua  Sgm^in,  .1.  IHaca,  ba  h-ollarh  t)o'n  Nfall  perhpaice  ip  m  lonamm 
pin,  a^up  ni  po  rhaip  Do  cloinD  ag  Ua  S^in^in  ma  beop  t)ia  cenel  ip 
m  cpich  cen  moca  aem  in^ean  cuchcach  po  baoi  laip,  agup  po 
neanaipc  t)o  peicij  ppip  m  ci  Copbrnac,  agup  ba  pea6  po  chuinDi^ 
1  n-a  cinnpcpa,  cecib  peappcal  no  geinpibe  uaibib  Diblinib  Do  cop 
ppi  cepcclim,  agup  ppi  po^loim  peanchupa,  6  po  pcaic,  a^up  6  po 
DiobDaic  an  cenel  Dia  iri-baoipiorh  ip  m  5-cpich,  ace  maD  eipiorh, 
a^up  an  aom  m^ean  po  eapnaiDm  ppipiorh  Do'n  cup  pm.  Do  pin- 
^eall  pom  n-Do  in  po  cuinDi^  paip,  agup  po  corhaill  eigin.  l?o 
^eanaip  mac  6'n  Coppmac  pm,  agup  6  m5in  Ui  Sgmgfn,  ^lo^^^i 
bpi^De  a  comamni,  a^up  ba  h-i  popaicmeac,  agup  h-i  5-cuimne 
^hiolla  bpi^De  U(  S^ingin,  Deapbpacaip  a  mdcap  (abbap  ollaman 

Cenel 

761  ;  tlie  laws  of  St.  Coman,  790  ;  the  are  still  to  be  seen  close  to  the  shore,  a 

laws  of  St.  Brandon,  740  ;  the  laws  of  St.  short  distance  to  the  north-west   of  the 

Ailbe,   790;    the   laws   of  O'Swayne   of  town  of  Ballyshannon. 

Rahyne,  740.  ^  Ollamk,  pronounced  Ollav,   means   a 

•^  Bas  Ruaidh — This  abbey  which  took  chief  professor  of  any  art  or  science. 

its  name  from  the  celebrated  cataract  of  ^  Ard  carna,  now  Ardcarne,  in  the  bar 

Eas  Ruaidh,  or  Eas  Aodha  Ruaidh,  on  the  rony  of  Boyle,  and  county  of  Roscommon, 

River  Erne,  was  erected  for  monks  of  the  and  about  four  miles  due  east  of  the  town 

order  of  St.  Bernard  by  Flaithbheartach  of  Boyle,   where  there  are  the  ruins  of 

O'Muldory,  in  the  year  11 84.    Its  ruins  a  church  and  village.     Maolcaoimhghin 


n 


siastics  of  the  abbey  of  St.  Bernard,  called  the  abbey  of  Eas  Ruaidh^ 
loved  him  for  his  education  and  good  morals,  for  his  wisdom  and  intel- 
lect, and  detained  him  among  them  for  some  time.  He  was  at  this  time 
a  young  guest.  O'Sgingin  had  been,  for  a  long  time  before  this  period, 
the  historical  OUamh'*  to  O'Donnell,  the  lord  of  Cinel  Conaill,  and 
he  had  first  come  into  Cinell  Conaill  from  Ard  carna^  in  Magh  luirg 
an  Baghdad  Niall  Garbh^,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Domhnall  Og,  was 
lord  of  the  country  when  the  Cormac  we  have  mentioned  came 
thither,  and  O'Sgingin,  viz.,  Matthew,  was  at  the  time  OUamh  to  the 
Niall  aforesaid.  And  there  lived  not  of  O'Sgingin's  children,  nor 
yet  of  his  tribe  in  the  country,  but  one  fair  daughter,  and  he  joined 
her  as  wife  to  this  Cormac,  and  what  he  asked  as  her  dower''  was, 
that  whatever  male  child  should  be  first  born  to  them  should  be  sent 
to  study  and  learn  history,  as  all  his  race  had  become  extinct  in  the 
territory  except  the  daughter  whom  he  wedded  to  him  on  that  occa- 
sion. The  other  promised  to  comply  with  his  request,  and  kept  his 
promise  indeed.  A  son  was  born  of  this  Cormac  and  the  daughter 
of  O'Sgingin,  named  Giolla  Bhrighde ;  and  it  was  in  commemoration 
and  remembrance  of  Giolla  Bhrighde  O'Sgingin,  the  brother  of  his 

mother 


O'Sgingin,  who  was  lierenacli  of  the  church 
of  Ardcarne,  died  in  the  year  1224,  accord- 
ing to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters. 

f  Magh  luirg  an  Daghda.,  i.  e.  the  plain 
of  Daghda's  track,  generally  anglicised 
Moylurg.  It  was  the  name  of  the  plains 
of  Boyle,  that  is,  of  the  level  part  of  the 
present  barony  of  Boyle,  lying  south  of 
-the  Eiver  Boyle. 

^  Niall  Garbh,  son  of  Aodh.,  S^c His 

death  is  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  at  the  year  1348.  His 
father  Aodh  died  in  1333,  and  his  grand- 


father, Domhnall  Og,  in  1264. 

^  As  her  dower Umnpcpa  means  a  re- 
ward, portion,  or  dower.  It  was  the  cus- 
tom among  the  ancient  Irish,  as  among 
the  Eastern  nations,  that  the  husband 
should  make  a  present  to  his  wife's  father, 
or  to  herself  upon  his  marriage.  This 
custom  is  still  in  use  among  the  Turks. 
The  meaning  of  the  word  cinnpcpa  is  es- 
tablished beyond  dispute  by  a  passage  in 
the  Leabhar  Breac,  which  states  that  Ea- 
becca  was  the  first  who  received  the  cinn- 
pcpa  from  her  husband. 


78 


Cenel  Conaill,  ac  bar  ]\iay  an  ran  fin,  an  blia6ain  y^  o'aoif  a|i 
o-Uijeajina,  1382)  t)o  paoab  an  anmain  af  ^^^^^^  6]ii^t)e  pop 
an  mac  pm.  TTIac  Do'n  ^^^^^^  t)pi5t)e  pin  Ua  Cleipi^  ^lolla 
piabac,  TTlac  t)o  ^hiolla  piabac  Oiapinaic  na  t)-cpi  p^ol,  .1.  pcol 
ppi  leijeann,  pcol  ppi  peanchup  agiip  pcol  ppi  t)dn.  Qp  t)0  pat) 
O'Dorhnaill,  Niall,  mac  Uoippbealbai^  an  piona,  an  peaponn  Dia 
n-gapap  an  Chpaoibeach,  a5ii['  po  baoi  a  dicpeab  a^up  a  lonacachc 
ataib  ip  m  b-peaponn  pin,  la  caob  na  b-peaponn  n-aile  Do  paDpar 
a  pmnpip  piom  o'  Ua  S^in^in  peacbc  piarn,  o  pop  abnaa  pom  ip  m 
ealabain  po  pab  coich  t)o,  .1.  h-i  peanchup.  TTlac  Do  Olnapmaicc 
na  D-upi  P50I  Uab^  Camm,  a^  a  m-baoi  an  cpiup  mac  oippbepc, 
Uiiaral,  ^lolla  piabac,  agup  Diapmaicc;  ap  leo-pibe  Do  ponab 
na  ci^e  cloch  1  5-C1II  bappainn,  Doi^  ba  li-iaDpibe  co  n-a  pmn- 
peapaib  popcap  ponDuipe  h-i  5-C1II  bappamn  6  aimpip  an  Copbmaic 

ac 


i  In  the  year  of  our  Lord  1382.  —  The 
death  of  Giolla  Brighde  O'Sgingin,  "  in- 
tended Ollamh  of  Tirconnell,"  is  recorded 
in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  this 
year.  This,  however,  contradicts  the  as- 
sertion that  Niall  Garbh,  the  son  of  Aodh, 
son  of  Domhnall  Og  O'Donnell,  was  the 
chief  of  Tirconnell  when  Cormac  O'Clery 
first  went  to  that  country,  for  this  Niall 
Garbh  O'Donnell,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
was  slain  in  the  year  1348,  and  if  Giolla 
Bhrighde  O'Sgingin  was  dead  before  Cor- 
mac O'Clery's  marriage  Avith  his  sister, 
Cormac  O'Clery  must  have  been  in  Tir- 
connell at  least  thirty-four  years  before 
his  marriage.  But  the  fact  undoubtedly 
was,  that  Niall  Garbh  O'Donnell  was  not 
the  chief  of  Tirconnell  at  the  time,  but 
his  son  Toirdhealbhach   an   fhiona,   and 


that  the  first  of  the  O'Clerys  settled  in 
the  territory  about  the  year  1382,  imme- 
diately after  the  death  of  Giolla  Bhrighde 
O'Sgingin. 

J  Niall,  the  son   of  Toirdhealbhach   an 

fhiona This  Niall  died  in   the  Isle  of 

Mann  in  the  year  1439,  a  hostage  in  the 
hands  of  the  English.  His  death  is  thus 
recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
ters :  —  "A.  D.  1439,  O'Donnell  (Niall 
Garbh)  died  in  the  Isle  of  Mann  in  capti- 
vity. He  was  the  select  hostage  of  Tir- 
connell and  Tirone  and  all  the  north  of 
Ireland,  and  the  chief  subject  of  conver- 
sation in  Leath  Chuinn  during  his  time ; — 
harasser  and  destroyer  of  the  English 
(until  they  took  revenge  for  all)  and  pro- 
tector and  defender  of  his  tribe,  against 
such  En2;lish  and  Irish  as  were  his  ad- 


79 


mother  (the  intended  ollamh  of  Cinel  Conaill,  who  had  died  before 
this  period,  in  the  year  of  the  age  of  our  Lord  1382"'),  that  the  name 
GioUa  Bhrighde  was  given  to  him.  Son  to  this  Giolla  Bhrighde 
O'Clery  was  Giolla  riabhach ;  son  to  Giolla  riabhach  was  Diarmaid 
of  the  three  schools,  so  called  because  he  kept  a  school  of  literature, 
a  school  of  history,  and  a  school  of  poetry.  It  was  to  him  that 
O'Donnell  NialP,  the  son  of  Tou-dhealbhach  an  fhiona,  granted  the 
lands  called  Craoibheach''  (on  which  he  had  his  dwelling:  and  resi- 
dence  for  some  time),  in  addition  to  the  other  lands  which  his  (i.  e. 
O'DonnelVs)  ancestors  had  previously  granted  to  O'Sgingin, — as  he 
was  a  proficient^  in  the  science,  which  was  hereditary  to  him,  namely, 
history.  Son  to  Diarmaid  of  the  three  schools  was  Tadhg  Cam, 
who  had  the  three  celebrated  sons,  Tuathal,  Giolla  riabhach,  and 
Diarmaid,  by  whom  the  stone-houses  were  erected  at  Cill  Barrainn"*, 
for  they  and  their  ancestors  were  freeholders  in  Cill  Barrainn  from 

the 


versaries,  both  before  and  after  he  becanie 
chief  of  his  tribe." 

^  Craoibheach,  pronounced  Creevagh,  a 
district  in  the  parish  of  Kilbarron,  barony 


several  townlands."  The  sentence  should 
be  thus  constructed  in  the  original : — 
"O  pop  aoma  un  tDiapmaic  pi  ip  m 
ealaoain  po  pao  coich  do,  .i.  h-i  pean- 


of  Tirhugh,  in  the  south  of  the  county  of     chup,  oo  pao  O'tDoriinaiU  (NiuU,  mac 


Donegal. 

^  As  he  was  a  proficient,  c^r This  sen- 
tence is  very  confused  in  the  original,  but 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  meaning  in- 
tended to  be  conveyed  by  the  writer  is  the 
following : — "  This  Diarmaid  of  the  three 
schools,  being  a  great  proficient  in  his  he- 
reditary science  of  history,  received  from 
O'Donnell  a  new  grant  of  lands,  called 
Craoibheach  (on  which  he  had  his  resi- 
dence for  some  time),  and  which  he  en- 
joyed, together  with  the  lands  which  he 
inherited  from  the  O'Sgingins,  to  whom 
O'Donnell's  ancestors  had  made  grants  of 


CoipoealBaij  an  piona),  do  an  peaponn 
Dia  n-japap  an  ChpaoiBeac,  —  i  n-a 
m-baoi  a  cticpeab  ajup  a  lonacacc 
acaiD, — la  caob  na  b-peaponn  n-uile  do 
pao-pac  a  pinpip-pioih  d'  Ua  Sjingm 
peachc  piam." 

^  cm  Barrainn  (i.  e.  the  church  of  St. 
Barrfhionn),  now  Kilbarron,  a  townland 
giving  name  to  a  parish  in  the  barony  of 
Tirhugh,  in  the  county  of  Donegal.  For 
a  view  of  some  fragments  of  these  stone 
houses,  situated  on  a  precipitous  cliff,  see 
the  Irish  Penny  Journal,  January  i6th, 
1841,  p.  225. 


8o 

an  pubpamap  canac  cecup  co  Cenel  Conaill;  a^up  ay  lao  pop  ap 
poMDuipe  h-i  Ceacparhain  na  Cuchrjiach,  a^up  h-i  ^-Cearparhain 
an  ri^e  cloiche  o'  peaponn  TYiaimpc]ie  Gappa  RuaiD.  l?o  ba6  leo 
t>an  6  Ua  n-Oorhnaill  cearpairhe  Cille  Oorhnai^,  a^np  cearpairhe 
Chuile  pennuip,  a^up  cearpoirhe  Dpoma  an  cpoinn,  pop  TTIui^  Gne. 

Clann  Uuarail,  mic  Uaib^  Caimm,  niic  Oiapmaua  na  D-cpi 
pcol,  ,1.  Uabg  Camni,  ^^^lla  Riabach,  TTlach^arhain,  Uilliam. 
Uao^  Camm  Diobai^,  ace  aoin  inj;ean  pop  pd^aib,  .1.  Sile.  ^lolla 
piabac,  an  t)apa  mac  Uuarail,  aciacc  a  clann,  .1.  Uuaral,  ITlac- 
garhain,  Cu-TTliirhan.  TTIau^arhain,  mac  Uuarail,  mac  00  Oiap- 
maic.  TTIac  Do'n  Diapmaic  pin  an  TTIaolmnipe  baoi  05  Ua  Neill, 
Uoippbealbac  Liiinecfch.  Uilliam,  mac  Uuarail,  mic  Uam^ 
Caimm,  aciauc  a  cictnn,  OonnchaD,  Conaipe,  Dorhnall,  Concobap. 

Clann  ^^^^^^ct  piabaij,  mic  UaiDg  Caim,  mic  Oiapmaca,  na 
t>-cpf  Scol,  Oorhnall  a^np  TTlinpip. 

Diapmaic,  mac  Uamg  Caimm,  mic  Oiapmaua  na  t)-t:pi  pcol, 

auiacc 

"  Ceathramh  na  Cuchtrach,  i.  e.  the  "■  Dridm  an  chroinn.  There  is  a  town- 
kitchen  quarter.  This  name  is  now  obso-  land  of  this  name  in  the  parish  of  Tem- 
lete  in  the  parish  ofKilbarron.  plecarne,  in  the  Barony  of  Tirhugh. 

°  Ceathramh  an  tighe  cloiche,  i.  e.  the  *  Magh  Ene. — This  is  called  g-Cedne  by- 
quarter  of  the  stone  house ;  but  the  name  Keating  and  O'Flaherty,  Moy-Genne  in 
is  now  obsolete.  the  Ulster    Inquisitions,    and  Magh  Ene 

PCe7i?/>om^rea2;9'^,nowKildoney,  aglebe  by  Colgan,  Trias  Thaum.  p.   180,  coL  b, 

in  the  parish  of  Kilbarron,  lying  to  the  where  he  thus  points  out  its  situation  : — 

south  of  the  River  Erne.     In  an  inquisi-  "  Magh  ene  est  campus  Tirconnallife  ad 

tion  held  at  Lifford  on  the  1 2th  of  Sep-  australem  ripam  iluminis  Ernei  inter  ip- 

tember,  1 609,  this  townland  is  called  Kil-  sum   et   Drobhaois  fluvium   protensum." 

doned,  and  it  is  stated  to  be  in  the  tenure  This  plain  extends  from  Belleek  to  Bun- 

of  the  sept  of  the  O'Cleries.  drowes,  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  Eiver 

1  Cuil  remuir,  was  the  ancient  name  of  Erne  to  Loufh  Melvin. 

a  quarter  of  land  near  the  sea,  in  the  same  t  Who  was  with  O'Neill,  that  is,  who 

parish  ;  but  the  name  is  now  obsolete.  was  poet  to   O'Neill.     He  was  slain  by 


the  time  of  the  Cormac  we  have  above  mentioned,  the  first  who 
came  to  Cinel  Conaill.  They  were  also  the  freeholders  of  Ceath- 
ramh  na  cuchtrach",  and  of  Ceathramh  an  tighe  cloiche°,  a  part  of 
the  lands  of  the  abbey  of  Eas  Ruaidh.  They  had  also,  as  a  gift 
from  O'Donnell,  the  quarter  of  Cill  Domhnaigh^  and  the  quarter  of 
Cuil  remuir'^,  and  the  quarter  of  Druim  an  chroinn",  in  the  plain  of 
Ma^h  Ene'. 

The  sons  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam,  son  of  Diarmaid  of  the 
three  schools,  were  Tadhg  Cam,  Giolla  riabhach,  Mathghamhain,  and 
WiUiam.  Tadhg  Cam  left  no  issue,  except  one  daughter  named 
Celia.  Giolla  riabhach,  the  second  son  of  Tuathal,  had  issue,  Tuathal, 
Mathghamhain,  and  Cu-Mumhan.  Mathghamhain,  the  son  of  Tuathal, 
had  a  son  Diarmaid.  This  Diarmaid  had  a  son  Maolmuire,  who  was 
with  O'Neiir  (Toirdhealbhach  Luineach).  WilUam,  son  of  Tuathal, 
son  of  Tadhg  Cam,  had  three  sons,  Donnchadh,  Conaire,  Domhnall, 
and  Conchobhar. 

The  sons  of  Giolla  riabhach,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam,  son  of  Diarmaid 
of  the  three  schools,  were  Domhnall  and  Maurice. 

Diarmaid,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam,  son  of  Diarmaid  of  the  three  schools, 

had 

O'Donnell's  people  in  the  year  1583,  un-  ghamhain,  who  was  son  of  Tuathal  O'Clery, 
der  which  year  the  Four  Masters  have  the  only  hostage  of  O'Neill  and  the  Cinel 
preserved  the  following  very  curious  Eoghain  ;  for  his  father  and  O'Neill  him- 
notice.  After  giving  an  account  of  a  self  had  been  born  of  the  same  mother,  and 
fierce  battle  fought  between  O'Donnell  Maelmuire,  on  account  of  his  relationship 
and  O'Neill  near  the  river  Finn,  in  which  to  O'Neill,  had  been  in  possession  of  all 
the  latter  was  defeated,  they  proceed  as  O'Neill's  wealth,  and  O'Neill  would  have 
follows  to  record  the  fate  of  their  own  given  three  times  the  usual  price  for  his 
distinguished  relative  : — "  On  this  occa-  ransom,  if  ransomed  he  could  be,  but  he 
sion  numbers  of  O'Neill's  people  were  was  first  mortally  wounded  and  after- 
slain  and  drowned,  and  among  others  wards  drowned  by  O'Donnell's  people, 
O'Gormley  (Cormac,  son  of  Hugh)  and  Avho  were  in  high  spirits  and  rejoiced 
Maelmuire,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Math-  greatly  at  seeing  him  thus  cut  off." 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.                                     M 


82 


anacc  a  clann,  Cucoijcpice,  ^lolla  byii^be,  Coppmac,  an  bjiaraiji 
t)'upD  S.  Pjiancif,  a^up  TTluip^eaf. 

Clann  Concoi^cjiice,  mic  Oia]iTnaca,  rmc  Uaib^  Caim,  TTlac- 
con,  Copnamac,  Oubrac,  'Cabg,  Copbrnac,  agiip  TTluipii^  balloch. 
Clann  J^^^^*^  t)pi50e,  nmc  Oiapmaca,  mic  Uaib^  Caimni  mic 
Oiapmara  na  tj-cpf  fcol,  peappeay^a,  Qimipgin,  agup  Tllaelmuipe. 
Clann  ITIuipjieapa,  nmc  Diapmaca,  mic  Uaibg  Caimni,  Oiapmaicc 
agup  Cu-Connacr. 

t)o  shciochc  DiaRTTiaDa,  mic  cait)Ti5  caimm. 

Cu^aib,  ^lolla  bpi'joe,  TTIaccon  TTleip^eac,  Cucoi^cpice,  agup 
Ouib^eann, 


clann  TTleiccon, 

mic  Concoi^cpice, 

TYiic  Diapmaoa, 

mic  Uamg  Caim, 

mic  DiapmaDa  na  D-cpi  pcol, 

"  Maurice  Ballach,  i.  e.  Maurice  the 
freckled.  He  was  a  learned  historian  and 
poet,  and  was  hanged  in  the  year  1572, 
together  with  others  of  the  Irish  literati, 
by  the  Earl  of  Thomond,  who  wished  to 
exterminate  that  class  in  Ireland.  The 
Four  Masters  have  the  following  remark 
on  this  cruel  act  : — "  This  abominable 
deed  gave  birth  to  the  composition  of 
several  satirical  and  denunciatory  poems 
against  the  Earl." 

'  Lughaidh,  son  of  Maccon He  was  the 

head  of  the  TirconneU  branch  of  the 
O'Clerys,  and  the  most  distinguished  of 
the  Irish  literati  of  the  north  of  Ire- 
land in  his  time.  He  was  the  principal 
poetical   combatant   on   the   part  of  the 


mic  ^lolla  piabai^, 

mic  ^lolla  bpi^Oe, 

mic  Copbmaic,  .1.  an  ceiD  peap 

cdnaic  t)fob  co  Cenel  Conaill. 

mic  Oiapmaoa, 

mic 

northern  bards  in  the  contest  with  those 
of  the  south  of  Ireland,  which  took  place 
about  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  respecting  the  claims  of  the  rival 
dynasties  of  the  northern  and  southern 
divisions  of  Ireland  to  supremacy  and  re- 
nown. The  poems  written  on  the  occa- 
sion, styled  the  lomarbadh,  or  Contention 
of  the  Bards,  are  preserved  in  several 
Irish  MSS.,  the  most  ancient  of  which 
is  the  O'Gara  MS.,  now  preserved  in  the 
Library  of  the  Eoyal  Irish  Academy. 
Besides  these  poems  Lughaidh  wrote  An- 
nals of  his  o^YXx  time,  which  the  Four 
Masters  state  were  used  by  them  in  their 
Annals.  He  held  all  his  lands  tiU  the 
year  1 609,  and  was  selected  as  one  of  the 


83 

had  these  sons,  namely,  Cucoigcriche,  Giolla  Briglide,  Cormac,  the 
friar  of  the  order  of  St.  Francis,  and  Muirgheas. 

The  sons  of  Cucoigcriche,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 
were  Maccon,  Cosnamhach,  Dubhthach,  Tadhg,  Cormac,  and  Maurice 
Ballach".  The  sons  of  Giolla  Brighde,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Tadhg 
Cam,  son  of  Diarmaid  of  the  tliree  schools,  were  Fearfeasa,  Aimirgin, 
and  Maelmuire.  The  sons  of  Muirgheas,  son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of 
Tadhg  Cam,  were  Diarmaid  and  Cuchonnacht. 

OF  THE  RACE  OF  DIARMAID,  SON  OF  TADHG  CAM. 

Lughaidh"",  Giolla-Brighde,  Maccon  Meirgeach,  Cucoigcriche,  and 
Duibhgeann, 


sons  of  Maccon, 
son  of  Cucoigcriche, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 
son   of  Diarmaid    of  the    three 
schools. 

"  good  and  lawful  men"  of  the  county  of 
Donegal,  appointed  to  inquire  into  the 
king's  title  to  the  several  escheated  and 
forfeited  lands  in  Ulster.  An  inquisition 
was  held  by  these  commissioners  at  Lifford 
on  the  1 2th  of  September,  1609,  in  which 
it  is  stated  that  "  the  parish  of  Kilbarron 
contains  five  quarters  in  all,  whereof  one 
quarter  is  Herenach  land  possessed  by  the 
sept  of  the  Clerics  as  Herenaches,  paying 
thereout  yearlie  to  the  lord  busshopp  of 
Eaphoe  thirteen  shillings,  fovir-pence  Irish 
per  annum,  six  meathers  of  butter,  and 
thirty-four  meathers  of  meale  ;  and  that 
there  is  one  quarter  named  Kildoned" 
[now  Kildoney  Glebe],  "  in  the  tenure  of 

M 


son  of  Giolla  riabhach, 
son  of  Giolla  Brighde, 
son  of  Cormac,  the  first  man  of 

this  family  who  came  to  Cinel 

Conaill, 

son 

the  said  sept  of  the  Cleries,  free  from 
any  tithes  to  the  busshop."  And  again, 
"that  there  are  in  the  said  parishe 
three  quarters  of  Collumbkille's  land, 
every  quarter  conteyning  sixe  balliboes,  in 
the  tenure  of  Lewe  O'Cleerie,  to  whom 
the  said  lands  were  sithence  mortgaged 
for  fortie  pounds  by  the  late  Earle  of  Tir- 
connell,  and  that  the  said  Lewe  hath  paid 
thereout  yearly  unto  his  Majestic,  sithence 
the  late  Earle's  departure,  four  poundes, 
two  muttons,  and  a  pair  of  gloves,  but 
nothing  to  the  said  busshopp."  For  some 
account  of  the  lineal  descendants  of  this 
Lughaidh  see  the  Pedigree  of  O'Clery  in 
the  Addenda  to  this  volume. 


84 


TTiic  Seaain  Sgiarhai^, 

mic  Oorhnaill, 

mic  Jio^^ct  lopa, 

mic  Uamh^, 

mic  irnui]iea6ai^, 

iTiic  'Cijeapnai^, 

TTiic  Jiolla  na  naorh, 

mic  Oorhnaill, 

mic  Goghain, 

mic  bpaoin,  D'e^  ^ot^t,, 

mic  Con^aela,  1025, 

mic  ^lolla  Cheallai^,  1003, 

mic  Corhalrdin,  976, 

mic    TTlaoilcejiapoa,    .1,    pianii, 

mic  TTIailpabaill,  887, 

mic  Cleijii^  6  cac  Ui  Cleipi^, 


mic  Cet)a6ai^, 

mic  Cumup^ai^, 

mic  Carmo^a, 

mic  Uoppar, 

mic  Peapgaile, 

mic  Qjicgaile, 

mic  5"c(irG  QiDne, 

mic  Colmain, 

mic  Cobrai^, 

mic  ^oibnenD, 

mic  Conaill, 

mic  Go^ain, 

mic  Gacbac  6]iic, 

mic  Daci, 

mic  piacpac, 

mic  6ac6ac  TTluijrheaboin. 


Oiapmaicc  a^up  Seaan, 
clann  an  Chopnarhai^, 
mac  Concoi^cpiche, 
mic  Diapmaoa, 


mic  UaiD^  Caim, 

mic  OiapmaOa  na  D-rpf  f^ol. 


Ua65  Cam,  piann,  o^up  Concobap, 
clann  Oubrai^,  niic  Oiapmaoa, 

mic  Concoigcpice,  mic  ?!^ai65  Caimm. 


TTlaolmuipe, 
mac  pippeapa, 
mic  ^lo^^ct  bpijoe, 
mic  Oiapmaca, 


mic  UaiD^  Caimm, 

mic  Oiapmaca  na  D-rpi  fgol. 


DO 


85 


son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  John  Sgiamhach, 

son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  GioUa  losa, 

son  of  Tadhg, 

son  of  Muireadhach, 

son  of  Tighearnacli, 

son  of  GioUa  na  naomh, 

son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Eoghan, 

son  of  Braon,  wlio  died  in  1033, 

son  of  Cugaela,  1025, 

son  of  Giolla  Cheallaigh,  1003, 

son  of  Comhaltan,  976, 

son  of  Maelcerarda,  i.  e.  Flann, 

950, 
son  of  Maolfabhaill,  887. 
son  of  Cleireach,  from  whom  the 

Diarmaid  and  John, 
sons  of  Cosnamhach, 
son  of  Cu-coigcriche, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 


family  q/'O'Clery, 
son  of  Ceadadhach, 
son  of  Cumusgach, 
son  of  Cathmogh, 
son  of  Torpa, 
son  of  Feargal, 
son  of  Artgal, 
son  of  Guaire  Aidhne, 
son  of  Colman, 
son  of  Cobhthach, 
son  of  Goibhnenn, 
son  of  Conall, 
son  of  Eoghan, 
son  of  Eochaidh  Breac, 
son  of  Dathi, 
son  of  Fiachra, 
son  of  Eochaidh   Muighmheadh- 


om. 


son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 
son   of  Diarmaid    of  the 
schools. 


three 


Tadhg  Cam,  Flann,  and  Conchobhar, 
sons  of  Dubhthach,  son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Cucoigcriche,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam. 


Maolmnire, 
son  of  Fearfeasa, 
son  of  Giolla  Brighde, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 


son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 
son  of  Diarmaid   of  the 
schools. 


three 


OF 


86 


t)0  sh^iochc  cuachai6. 


TTiic  Caibs  CaiTYi, 

nnic  Oiapmaca  na  t)-rpi  fcol. 


TTiic  "Cuarail, 

TTiic  UaiD^  CairriTYi. 


Cu  TTIurhan, 
TYiac  Uuacail, 
TTiic  gioUci  piabai^, 
nnc  Uuachail, 

TTlaolTnuipe, 
mac  Tnar^arhna, 
mic  ^lolla  piabai^, 

Uillmm,  Conaijie,  maolmuipe,  .1.  bepnapoin,  Uab^  an  c-Sleibe, 
.1.  TTIicliel,  t)d  bpdraip  t)'  opo  Obpepuanna, 
clann  Oonncaio,  vl\^c  Uaib^  Caim, 

TTIIC  UilliarTi,  TTiic  Oiapmaca  na  t)-cpi  pcol. 

mic  Uuarail, 

t)o  sbciochr  ^lo^^a  T3ia6hai5b. 

nriuipip, 

mac  Concoi^cpice,  mic  UaiD^  CaiTn, 

TTiic  TYluipif,  iTfiic  Oiapmaca  na  t)-upi  pcol. 

mic  ^lo^^ct  piabai^, 


Uuacal, 
mac  Golupa, 
mic  TTlinpip, 

'  Conaire.  —  He  was  one  of  tlie  com- 
pilers of  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters, 
and  the  transcriber  of  the  greater  portion 
of  the  copy  of  the  second  part  of  that 
work,  preserved  in  the  Library  of  the 
Royal  Irish  Academy. 

"  Maolmuire,  i.  e.  Bernardin — He  was 


mic  ^lolla  piabai^, 

mic  UaiDg  Caim. 

maolmuipe 

guardian  of  the  convent  of  Donegal  in  the 
year  1632,  when  the  Four  Masters  com- 
menced the  compilation  of  their  Annals, 
and  again  in  1636,  when  the  same  work 
was  completed,  as  appears  from  the  testi- 
monium prefixed  to  the  second  volume  of 
the  work,  now  in  the  Library  of  the  Royal 


87 

OF  THE  RACE  OF  TUATHAL. 

Cu-Mumhan, 

son  of  Tuathal,  son  of  Tadg  Cam, 

son  of  GioUa  riabhach,  son   of  Diarmaid   of  the    three 
son  of  Tuathal,  schools. 

Maolmiiire, 
son  of  Mathghamhain,  son  of  Tuathal, 

son  of  Giolla  riabhach,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam. 

Wilham,  Conaire\  Maolmuire,  i.  e.  Bernardin"',  Tadhg  of  the 
mountain,  i.  e.  Michael^ ;  the  two  latter  were  friars  of  the  order  de 
Observantia, 

sons  of  Donnchadh,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 

son  of  William,  son   of  Diarmaid   of  the    three 

son  of  Tuathal,  schools. 

OF  THE  RACE  OF  GIOLLA  RIABHACH. 

Maurice, 

son  of  Cu-coigcriche,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam, 

son  of  Maurice,  son   of  Diarmaid   of  the    three 

son  of  Giolla  riabhach,  schools. 

Tuathal, 
son  of  Eolus,  son  of  Giolla  riabhach, 

son  of  Maurice,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam. 

Maolmuire 

Irish  Academy.  cograpliers.  He  spent  ten  years  travelling 

"^  Tadhg  t)f  the  mountain,  \.  Q.  Michael. —  through   Ireland  to  collect   manuscripts 

He  was  the  chief  of  the  Four  Masters,  and  for  the  use  of  Colgan  in  compiling  his 

the  author  of  an  Irish  Glossary,  published  at  Acta  Sanctorum  ;  in  the  Preface  to  which 

Louvainin  1643,  which  has  been  of  great  work  Colgan  gives  a  high  character  of 

use  to  Lhwyd  and  all  subsequent  Irish  lexi-  him. 


rnaolTnui]ie, 
TYiac  Oorhnaill,  niic  gio^^^ct  piabai^, 

TTiic  Uam^,  v(\^c  Uaib^  Caim. 

mic  imaoilmui]ie, 

t)o  mhuiNuiR  ch^eiRi^h  uhiRG  h-amiiacsaoha. 

Seaan  S5iarhac,  Daniel,  Uomap,  a^up  Cojibmac,  ceirjie, 
TTieic  Dorhnaill,  nnic  ^lolla  na  naorh, 

imic  ^lolla  lopa,  mic  Oorhnaill, 

mic  TaiDs,  ^'^  Go^ain, 

inic  TDuipeabai^,  mic  bpaem, 

mic  "Cigeajinai^,  nnic  Congaela,  "]c. 

Seaan  Sgiarhac  6  D-rdc  muinnp  Cleipi^  Uipe  Conaill;  Oaniel 
6  D-cdc  muincip  Cleipij;  "Chipe  li-Qiiial^aba ;  Uomap  6  t)-rdu 
clann  Cleipi^  bpeipne  Ui  Rajallaij,  Coppnnac  6  o-cdc  TYiuincip 
Cleipi^  Cille  Caint)!^. 

DO  ShClOChC  DaNie6. 

TTlaolniuipe, 

mac  Copbmaic,  nnic  Oorhnaill, 

mic  Oiapmaca,  mic  ^lolla  lo]"a, 

mic  Puampi,  mic  Uaib^, 

mic  Seaain,  nine  TTluipeaoai^, 

TTiic  Uomaip,  mic  Uigeapnaigh, 

niic  Oomnaill,  mic  JioUa  na  naorti,  -]c. 

mic  Oaniel, 

Uomap 

y  The  Muintir  Cleirigh  of  Tir-Amhal-  O'Cleri,  a  member  of  this  branch  of  the 

gadha,   i.  e.  the  O'Clerys  of  Tirawley,  in  family,  made  in  1452,  concerning  the  de- 

the  county  of  Mayo.     The  reader  is  re-  scent  and  former  possessions  in  Tireragh, 

ferred  to  a  note  on  the  pedigree  of  O'Dowd,  of  Hugh  O'Dowde,  of  Stalinge  in  Meath. 
where  he  will  find  the  affidavit  of  John         ^  Cill  Cainnigk,  i.  e.  Cella  Sancti  Can- 


Sg 

Maolmuire, 
son  of  Domlmall,  son  of  Giolla  riabhach, 

son  of  Tacllig,  son  of  Tadhg  Cam. 

son  of  Maolmuire, 

OF  THE  MUINTIR  CLEIRIGH  OP  TIR-AMHALGADHA^. 

John  Sgiamhach,  Daniel,  Thomas,  and  Cormac, 
four  sons  of  Domhnall,  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 

son  of  Giolla  losa,  son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Tadhg,  son  of  Eoghan, 

son  of  Muireadhach,  son  of  Braen, 

son  of  Tighearnach,  son  of  Cugaela,  &c. 

From  John  Sgiamhach  are  descended  the  family  of  O'Clery  of  Tir 
Conaill ;  from  Daniel  are  the  family  of  O'Clery  of  Tir  Amhalgadha ; 
from  Thomas  are  the  Clann  Clery  of  Breifny  O'Reilly;  and  from 
Cormac  are  the  Muinter  Clery  of  Cill  Cainnigh^. 

OF  THE  RACE  OF  DANIEL. 

Maolmuire, 

son  of  Cormac,  son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Giolla  losa, 

son  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Tadhg, 

son  of  John,  son  of  Muireadhach, 

son  of  Thomas,  son  of  Tighearnach, 

son  of  Domhnall,  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh,  &c. 

son  of  Daniel, 

Thomas 

nici,  now  Kilkenny.  Several  of  the  name  Clearys  of  Leinster,  who  knew  any  thing  of 
Cleary  are  now  to  be  found  throughout  their  pedigree  or  origin,  nor  does  he  believe 
Leinster,  but  the  name  has  been  in  many  that  the  pedigree  of  any  branch  has  been 
instances  anglicised  to  Clarke.  The  Edi-  preserved,  except  that  of  the  literary 
tor  never  met  any  member  of  the  Leinster  Tirconnell  family. 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  N 


90 


clann  bpiain  na  bpoige, 
mac  Dauib  6ui6e, 
TTiic  DonncaiD, 

OuibgenD, 
mac  Gmainn  Cjioin, 
mic  Gmainn  Cjiom, 
mic  Cojibmaic, 

Tnaolmui|ie, 
mac  pipt)opcha, 
mic  Uuarail, 
mic  Oonncai6, 

Oubalcac, 
mac  TTluipceapcai^, 
mic  Seaain  an  Chlaoaij, 
mic  bjiiain, 

Oaui6  buibe, 
mac  Uomaip, 
mic  Oauib  buibe, 
mic  Diayimaca  5^^M^ 


mic  Uomaif, 
mic  Domnaill, 
mic  Daniel. 


mic  Uomaip, 
mic  Domnaill, 
mic  Danieil. 


mic  Uomaip, 
mic  Domnaill, 
mic  Danieil. 


mic  niuiyiceapcaij, 
mic  Domnaill, 
mic  Danieil. 


mic  TTIui]icea]icai5, 
mac  Domnaill, 
mic  Danieil]. 


Qce  ant)  fo  na  pio^a  jio.^abpaD  Connacca  aju]^  Gpe  bo  cloinn 
piacpacVi  pholcf  narai^,  .1.  Dan,  mac  piacpac,  bo  ^ab  pen  jii^e  50 
Sliab  Qlpa,  a^uy^  ]\o  cabai^  an  blioporha  po  cpi  gan  car. 

Oilioll  molu,  mac  Daci :  bo  ^ab  pen  pi^e  n-Gpeann,  ^up  rabai^ 
an  bboporha  po  rpi  ^an  car.  Qiprhib  leabaip  ^up  ^ab  Gape  mac 
Oiliolla  niuilc  pije  n-Gpeann,  agup  gup  cabaij  an  bliopoma  gan 
car. 

Qmalsaib 


91 


Thomas  and  Brian  Og, 

sons  of  Brian  na  broige,  son  of  Thomas, 

son  of  David  Buidhe  [the  yellow] ,  son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Donnchadh,  son  of  Daniel. 


Duibhgenn, 
son  of  Edmond  Cron, 
son  of  Edmond  Cron, 
son  of  Cormac, 

Maolmuire, 
son  of  Fear  dorcha, 
son  of  Tuathal, 
son  of  Donnchadh, 

Dubhaltach, 
son  of  Mnircheartach, 
son  of  John  of  Cladagh, 
son  of  Brian, 

David  Buidhe, 
son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  David  Buidhe, 
son  of  Diarmaid  Glas, 

The  following  are  the  kings  of  the  race  of  Fiachra  Foltsnathach, 
who  ruled  Connaught  and  Ireland,  viz.,  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra:  he 
ruled  the  countries  as  far  as  the  Alps,  and  he  exacted  the  Borumean 
tribute  thrice  without  a  battle. 

OhoU  Molt,  son  of  Dathi :  he  assumed  the  monarchy  of  Ireland, 

and  exacted  the  Borumean  tribute  thrice  without  a  battle.     Some 

books  state  that  Earc,  the  son  of  OilioU  Molt,  assumed  the  monarchy 

of  Ireland,  and  exacted  the  Borumha  without  a  battle. 

N  2  Amhalgaidh, 


son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Daniel. 

son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Daniel. 

son  of  Mnircheartach, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Daniel. 

son  of  Mnircheartach, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Daniel]. 


92 

Qrhalgam,  mac  piacpac:  t)o  ^ab  y^en  pi^e  Chonriacu.  Go^an 
6eul,  Qilill  lonbanna,  Qob  a'S^Y  Cpunrhaol  do  ^abpao  pi^e  Con- 
nacc  a  Ceapa. 

ColTTian,  5"^'^^  Cti6ne,  inui]iceapcac  agup  Laijnen,  cerpe 
pij  Connacc  a  h-Qibne. 

Oilill,  Caral,  lonopaccac,  agu]^  Duncab,  cerpe  pi^  a  rfiui^e 
TTluaibe  anb  fin.  Conab  bo  cuirhniugab  na  pio^  fm  appepc  an 
pile, 

Cerpe  pi^  beu^  bo  clainn  piacpac, 
beoba,  parrhapa  na  pi^, 
Gbip  reap  ip  cuaij  ^ac  cipe, 
Sluai^  ag  leap  ^ac  bine  bib. 

Cerpe  pi^  ap  Chuigeab  Chonnacc 
Q  epic  Qibne  aipb  na  naorh, 
TTIuipceapcac  bo'n  cuame  corhlan, 
Lai^nen,  ^^Qip^^  Colman  Caorh. 

Cecpe  pi^  Connacc  a  Ceapa, 
Cpunmaol  ip  dob  na  n-apm  5-copp, 
'S  a  biap  paop,  Qilill  ip  Gogan 
Q  poipinn  na  Leorhan  Lonb. 

Cerpe  pi^;  Ua  b-piacpac  TTluaibe 
Ouncab  Cpuacna,  na  5-ceapb  paop 
lonbpaccac  ndp  roipmn  cacap, 
Oilill  a^up  Caral  Caorh. 

Ceacpap  aipb-pij  ^ab-pabGpmn; 
Gpe  po  rhop-pab  ^an  rhuich, 
Daci  ip  Oilill  pop  Gpinb, 
Qrhal^aib,  Gape  be'n  eing  uip. 

Leabap  pocaip  placa  O  b-Piacpac 
Qca  liom  punna  pd  peac. 

Ml 


93 

Amhalgaidli,  son  of  Fiachra:  he  assumed  the  government  of 
Connaught.  Eoghan  Beul,  Ailill  lonbhanna,  Aodh,  and  Crunmhaol 
assumed  the  kingship  of  Connaught  and  were  resident  in  Ceara. 

Colman,  Guaire  Aidhne,  Muircheartach,  and  Laighnen,  were  four 
kings  of  Connaught  who  dwelt  in  Aidhne. 

Oiholl,  Cathal,  lonnrachtach,  and  Dunchadh  were  four  kings  of 
Connaught  who  dwelt  in  the  plain  of  Muaidhe  [the  Moy\  To  com- 
memorate these  kings  the  poet  said  : 

Fourteen  kings  of  the  race  of  Fiachra, 
Vigorous,  successful  were  these  kings, 
Both  south  and  north  of  each  country, 
Each  tribe  of  them  was  with  prosperity. 

Four  kings  of  the  province  of  Connaught 
Dwelt  in  great  Aidhne,  land  of  saints, 
Muircheartach,  one  of  the  perfect  breed, 
Laighnen,  Guaire,  and  Colman  Caomh. 

Four  Connaught  kings  dwelt  in  Ceara, 
Crunmaol  and  Aodh  of  weapons  bright, 
And  the  noble  pair  Ailill  and  Eoghan, 
Of  the  tribe  of  mighty  lions. 

Four  kings  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  Muaidhe, 
Dunchadh  of  Cruachan,  of  noble  feats, 
londrachtach,  who  shunned  not  the  battle, 
Oilill  and  Cathal  Caomh. 

Of  them  four  monarchs  governed  Erin ; — 
Erin  they  exalted  without  a  cloud, — 
Dathi  and  Oilill  over  Erin, 
Amhalgaidh  and  Earc  of  the  noble  lineage. 

The  Book  of  the  Tributes  of  the  chiefs  of  Hy-Fiachrach, 

Are  with  me  here  one  and  all ; 

I 


94 

Ni  cluiniTTi  map  pn  a  parhla 
Na  pip  ap  calma  Do  cear. 

Cecpe. 
Sain  pip  pin  a  Dep  t>uain  peancaip  Da'n  ropac,  pionnab  Seancaibe 
peap  b-pdil. 

Upi  pi^  Deu^  ba  pio^ba  par, 
Do  clannaib  piala  piacpac, 
Oeut)la  ap  a  cuaraib  ^an  capr, 
'Sa  Chpuacam  ceuDna  Connacu. 

Da  phlairpi,  peap^al  pop  peap, 
5"ccipe,  Colman  50  ^-cuibbeap, 
TTlap  leorhan  ^ac  pi  50  pinn, 
Oaui,  Gogan,  ip  Oilill. 

Qrhal5ai6,  lonopaccac  an, 
Dont)cara6,  Oilill  loninap 
t)iinca6  gan  itien^,  ^an  rheabuil, 
Noca  leam  nac  Idin-rheabuip. 

Do  ^euboe  lat)  po  ni  ap  poilepe  pot)  ip  in  leacanac  298. 

Dari,  TTiac  piacpac  umoppo,  'pa  bpairpe,  leo  copcaip  bpian, 
mac  Garac  TTlui^meaboin,  1  5-car  Darh-cluana,  agiip  ap  'n-a  epic 
t)o  ruic  peaponn  clomne  TTlec  n-Gapca  ache  beagan  ;  agup  i 
t)-Uulcliai6  Dorhnann  00  h-a6naicea6,  t)o  clomn  bhpiain,  mup  ca  ip 
in  leacanac  247. 

^ewea^acii 

^  Historical  poem This   poem  is  not  is  not  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmac- 

quoted  in  the  Book  of  Lecan.  noise,  the  Four  Masters,  nor  in  any  other 

*  Page  298 This  reference,  and  that  to  authority  that  the  Editor  could  find,  ex- 
page  247,  at  the  end  of  the  next  paragraph,  cept  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  fol.  145,  ^,  a. 
are  to  the  pages  of  our  author's  MS.  writ-  Damh-chluain  signifies  the  insulated  pas- 
ten  in  1645.  turage  or  meadow  of  the   oxen.     There 

^Battle  of  Damh-chluain. — This  battle  are  many  places  of  the  name  in  Ireland, 


95 

I  hear  not  so  of  any  others  like  them, 
They  are  the  bravest  men  that  I  have  seen. 

Fourteen,"  &c. 

Differently  from  this,  however,  speaks  the  historical  poem^  be- 
ginning "  Be  it  known  to  the  historians  of  the  men  of  Fail." 

"  Thirteen  kings  of  kingly  prosperity, 
Of  the  generous  race  of  Fiachra, 
Potent  in  their  countries  without  thirst. 
Reigned  in  the  same  Cruachan  in  Connaught. 

Two  Flaithri's,  Feargal,  it  is  known, 
Guaire,  Colman  with  worthiness; 
As  a  lion  was  each  king  with  his  spear, 
Dathi,  Eoghan,  and  Oilill. 

Amhalgaidh,  londrachtach  the  noble, 
Donncathadh,  Oihll  lonmar, 
Dunchadh  without  treachery,  without  guile. 
It  is  not  by  me  they  are  not  fully  remembered." 

These  hings  will  be  more  distinctly  found  in  p.  298^ 
It  was  by  Dathi,  the  son  of  Fiachra  and  his  brothers,  that  Brian, 
the  son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin,  was  slain  in  the  battle  of 
Damh-chluain" ;  and  it  was  in  eric  \Te])aratioi{\  for  it  that  the  land 
of  Clann  Mec  n-Earca  was  forfeited,  except  a  small  portion ;  and  it 
was  in  Tulach  Domhnann''  he  was  interred,  as  stated  in  page  247. 

GENEALOGY 

now  anglicised  Doughlone;  but  theDamh-  "^  Tulach  Domhnann.  This  place  is  called 

chluain  here  referred  to,  is  stated  to  be  si-  Tulcha  Domhnaill  in  the  Book  of  Bally- 

tuated  in  the  territory  of  Hy-Briuin  Eola  mote,  but  it  is  difficult  now  to  determine 

(now  the  barony  of  Clare,  in  the  county  which  is  the  more  correct  name,  or  where 

of  Galway),  on  the  frontiers  of  Conmaicne  the  place  is  situated.    See  further  remarks 

Cuile,  now  the  barony  of  KUmaine,  in  the  on  this  battle  in  the  Addenda  to  this  vo- 

county  of  Mayo.  lume. 


96 


^eNea^ach  ua  6h-FiachT?ach  muaiDhe. 

piacpa  Galeae  nriac  Oachi,  l?ua6,  in^ean  Qiyiui^  Uiclic- 
leacain,  a  rhauaiji,  t)oneochaDbac  Dia  bper.  Uaice  paiceap  TTlul- 
lac  Puaba  i  t)-'Cfp  piacjiac  TTliiame,  ap  a  h-at)hlacaDh  i  nnullac 
na  culca  pin;  a^up  ap  uippe  aca  an  capn  cloc  pil  pop  mullac 
na  realca.  Qgup  "Culac  na  niolc  a  h-amm  poirhe  pm,  uaip  nnian 
mole-cap  na  Do  paoab  o'd  rharaip  pop  Oilill  TTlolu  an  5-cen  po 
baoi-n'a  bpomn,  a^upgac  mole  t)0  ^ebri  do  cum  na  pio^na  ap  Do  lon- 
poi^iDnaculcapinDocionoilui;  conaD  De  pin  paiceap  Uulacnamolc. 
Uulacna  TTlaoile  a  h-ainm  poime  pin,  cpe  popDo  ^ab  an  TTlaol-pliDipT 
ince  ap  Udin  bo  piiDipi  [an  corhaip  Do  bai  pep^up  ocup  Oomnall 
Oual-buiDi  a  Compaq,  cop  mapbaD  Oomnall  ip  in  compa^  pin,  ocup 
an  ^amanpaiD  ag  uopaigeacc  ap  pepaib  Gpeann  anD,  a  n-DiaiD  na 
Uana,  conaD  De  pin  a  Depap  Uulac  na  TTlaili  pip  m  cnocc;  ocup  ip 

6'n 


^  Mullach  Euad/ia,  now  Mullaroe,  orEed 
hill,  in  the  parish  of  Skreen,  barony  of 
Tireracli,  and  county  of  Sligo. 

*  Hill  of  the  weathers The  Eev.  Patrick 

Mac  Loughlin,  in  his  abstract  of  the  Book 
of  Lecan,  translates  this  passage  thus  : 
"  'Tis  said  that  Euad,  daughter  of  Artach 
Uchtleathan,  was  wife  to  Dathi,  and  mother 
of  Fiachra  Ealgach  and  Oilill  Molt.  'Tis 
said  that  Euad  being  buried  in  the  hill 
called  after  her  Mullach  Eutse,  a  cam 
clock  was  raised  over  her,  and  that  she 
died  by  the  breath,  or  sentence"  [recte 
birth]  "  of  her  Fiachra.  Before,  it  was 
called  Tealach  na  molt,  because  it  was  a 
place  near  which  her  sheep  were  usually 


shorn''''  [recte  slaughtered].  But  that  this  is 
a  garbling  of  the  original  text  will  at  once 
be  seen  by  the  intelligent  Irish  scholar. 
The  reader  is  referred  to  O'Flaherty's 
Ogygia,  part  III.  c.  87,  and  also  to  Keat- 
ing's  History  of  Ireland  (reign  of  Oilioll 
Molt),  in  Avhich  the  story  is  told  in  such 
plain  Irish  that  the  drift  of  it  cannot  be 
mistaken.  Keating's  words  are  thus  trans- 
lated by  Dr.  John  Lynch :  '■'■Molti  agnomine 
ideo  affectus,  quod  matrem  ejus  Orachi 
filiam  ilium  utero  gestantem  ovillse  carnis 
manducandee  cupido  incesserit ;  adstiterat 
nimirum  ovillam  expetenti  Fiala  Eochi 
Siadi  filia,  tenuis  fortuna  fcemina,  qus 
infantulo  statim  ac  e  materno  alvo  emersit 


97 


GENEALOGY  OF  THE  HY-FIACHEACH  OF  THE  MOY. 

The  motlier  of  Fiaclira  Ealgach,  the  son  of  Datlii,  was  Ruadh, 
the  dauo-hter  of  Airtech  Uichtleathan,  who  died  at  his  birth.  From 
her  is  named  Mullach  Ruadha^  in  Tir  Fiachrach  of  the  Moy,  from 
her  being  buried  in  the  top  of  that  hill ;  and  over  her  is  the  earn  of 
stones  which  is  on  the  top  of  the  hill.  Tulach  na  molt  was  its 
name  before  that  time,  from  the  circiunstance  that  the  mother  of 
Oiholl  Molt,  while  he  was  in  her  womb,  took  a  desire  for  Avether- 
mutton,  and  all  the  wethers  procured  for  the  queen  were  brought 
to  this  hill,  whence  it  was  called  Tulach  na  molt  [i.  e.  the  lull  of 
the  wethers'].  Tulach  na  Maoile  [/.  e.  the  hill  of  3Iaol]  had  been 
its  previous  name,  from  the  rest  which  Maol-Flidhisi  took  upon 
it  dming  the  excm^sion  of  Tain  Bo  Flidliisi  [Avhile  Fergus*^  and 
Domhnall  Dual-bhuidhe^  were  engaged  at  single  combat, — in  wliich 
combat  Domhnall  was  slain,  —  while  the  Gamanradii  were  in  pur- 
suit of  the  men  of  Erin  here  after  the  cattle  spoil.  Whence  the 
hill  was  called  Tulach  na  Maili ;   and  it  was  from  this  Fiachra,  the 

son 

Molti  agnomen,  quod  ovem  significat,  indi-  Nessa. 

dit,utpote qui materni uteri  claustrisadhnc  ^  Doynhnall  Dual-bhuidhe,  i.  e.  Donnell 

inclusus,  ovinae  carnis  comedendae  desideria     of  the  j^ellow  locks There  are  many  wild 

flagrasse  videbatur."    See  also  p.  22,  note  f.  legends  still  told  of  this  Domhnall  in  Er- 

f  While  Fergus. — The  passage  here  en-  ris,  one  of  which  was  published  by  Mr. 

closed  in  brackets  is  supplied  from   the  Patrick  Knight  in  his  account  of  the  Irish 

Book   of  Lecan.     The  story  of  Tain  Bo  Highlands.    The  fort  and  grave  of  Domh- 

Flidhisi  is  still  preserved  in  a  veUvim  MS.  nail  Dual-bhuidhe  are  to  this  day  pointed 

H.  2.  16.  in  the  Library  of  Trinity  CoUege,  out  at  Dundonnell  in  the  valley  of  Glen 

Dublin.    The  Fergus  here  mentioned  was  Castle,  in  Erris.  He  was  one  of  the  chiefs 

the  celebrated  Fergu.s  Mac  Roigh,  King  of  of  the  fierce  and  warlike  Gamanradii  of 

Ulster  in  the  first  century,  who  was  de-  Erris,  who  were  a  tribe  of  the  Firbolgs 

throned  by  his  successor  Conchobhar  Mac  much  celebrated  in  Irish  historical  stories. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  O 


98 

on  piacjia  ym  mac  OacTii  a  oepaji  Ui]i  piacpach].  Cnoc  na 
n-Dpua6  amm  ele  Do'n  culaij  pm,  cpe  beiu  Do  bpaoinb  Ohaci  jii^ 
Gpeann  mnre  a^  pa^ail  peapa,  ^up  ob  ann  t)o  raippngip-pioo  oo 
Dhari  50  n-^eubab  plaireap  Gpeann  a^up  Qlban  ipa. 

Q  t)ep  an  pliocc  pa  gup  ob  f  an  T?ua6  ceaona  mauaip  Oililla 
TTluilc  mac  Dan.  ^ibeab  Dep  Doccup  Cecin  jup  ob  f  6cne 
m^ean  Opach,  bean  Oari,  maraip  Oililla  TTluilc;  a^up  ceaD  bean 
Oari  t)no,  .1.  pial,  in^ean  Gacac,  6  pcticeap  Cpuacdn  pele  ;  agup 
rpeap  bean  Oaci  cpa,  .1.  PuaD,  in^ean  CCipci^  Uicc-leacum,  mic 
pipconga,  mctcaip  piacpac  Gal^ai^,  6  pcticeap  Uip  piacpac 
TTluaiDe. 

piacpa  Galeae,  mac  Dari  t)no,  (ap  ua6a  Ui  phiacpac  TTluaiDe) 
Da  rhac  laip,  .1.  Qrhal^aiD,  Dia  D-rd  Imp  Qrhal^aiD,  pop  Loc  Con, 
uaip  ap  mre  pu^aD,  agup  TTIaolDub,  Did  D-ra  Dun  TTIaolDuib  05 
lapjai^,  m  baile  1  pu^aD  agup  ap  Ti-oileaD  e. 

QrhalgaiD,  mac  piacpac  Gal^ai^  clann  mop  laip,  .i.  Caipppe, 
Leapjup,  peap^up,  GocaiD,  peblimiD,  GunDa,  Gogan  pionD,  Upea, 

Qonjup 

''7Vr-i^«ac/<rac/2,  now  Tireragli,  a  barony  Bail  yeajxx  ocu]-  eoluip,  i.e.  obtaining 

in  the  north-west  of  the  county  of  Sligo,  knowledge  and  information.     It  is  to  be 

on  the  east  side  of  the  Moy.    This  formed  regretted  that  the  mode  of  obtaining  their 

but  a  small  portion  of  the  country  of  the  information  is  not  mentioned.  Perhaps  the 

Hy-Fiachrach,  which  extended  from  the  Druids  obtained  whatever  knowledge  they 

river  Robe  to  the  river  of  Drumcliff,  be-  possessed  of  future  events  by  observing  the 

low  the  town  of  Sligo.     The  name  Hy-  aspects  of  the  planets  and  the  indications  of 

Fiachrach,  i.  q.  Nepotes  Fiachri,  Avas  de-  the  heavens  from  the  summit  of  this  conspi- 

rived  from  a  different  Fiachra,  namely,  cuous  hill?    No  other  meaning  can  be  re- 

from  Fiachra,  the  father  of  King  Dathi,  conciled  to  the  situation  of  the  place.  The 

and  the  grandfather  of  the  Fiachra  from  Rev.  P.  Mac  Loughlin  translates  it,   "  It 

whom  the  country  or  barony  of  Tireragh  was  called  also  Cnoc  na  n-Druadh,  where 

took  its  appellation.  Dathi  kept  his  Druithi ;"  but  this  is  not 

'  Obtainmg  knowledge In  the  Book  of  the  correct  translation  of  the  original. 

Lecan,  fol.  80,  b,  the  reading  is  05  if6x>-         J  Dr.   Keating — Dr.    Jeffrey   Keating 


99 

son  of  Dathi,  that  Tir-Fiachracli''  was  named] .  Cnoc  na  n-Druadli  was 
another  name  for  this  hill,  because  the  Druids  of  Dathi,  King  of  Erin 
were  used  to  be  on  it  obtaining  knowledge',  for  it  was  here  they  pre- 
dicted to  Dathi  that  he  would  attain  to  the  kingdom  of  Erin,  Alba,  &c. 

This  authority  states  that  the  same  Ruadh  was  the  mother  of 
Oilioll  Molt,  the  son  of  Dathi ;  but  Doctor  Keating^  says  that  Eithne, 
the  daughter  of  Orach,  the  \_second'\  wife  of  Dathi,  was  the  mother  of 
Oilioll  Molt ;  that  the  first  wife  of  Dathi  was  Fial,  daughter  of  Eoch- 
aidh,  from  whom  Cruachan  Fele  is  called ;  and  that  Dathi's  third  wife, 
Ruadh,  the  daughter  of  Airtheach  Uichtleathan,  son  of  Ferconga,  was 
the  mother  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  from  whom  Tir  Fiachrach  of  the  Moy 
is  named. 

Fiachra  Ealgach,  the  son  of  Dathi  (from  whom  are  the  Hy-Fiach- 
rach  of  the  Moy),  had  two  sons,  namely,  Amhalgaidh,  from  whom  Inis 
Amhalgaidh,  an  island  in  Loch  Con'',  is  named,  for  it  was  on  it  he 
was  born ;  and  Maoldubh,  from  whom  is  called  Dun  Maoilduibh',  at 
lasgach  [Easkey],  the  place  where  he  was  born  and  bred. 

Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  had  a  large  family,  namely, 
Cairpre,  Learghus,  Fergus,  Eochaidh,  Fedhlimidh,  Eunda,  Eoghan 
Fionn,  Trea,  Aongus,  a  quo  the  Ui  Aonghusa,  Ronan,  from  whom  are 

the 

had  finished  his  History  of  Ireland  in  the  district,  corrupted  to  Inishlee,  the  present 

year  1629,  as  appears  from  memoranda  in  name  of  a  small  island  in  Lough  Conn. 

several  of  the  copies,  that  is,  sixteen  years  See  notes  farther  on,  and  Book  of  Lecan, 

before  Duald  Mac  Firbis  commenced  the  fol.  247,  a,  a,  where  it  is  stated  that  the 

compilation  of  his  larger  work  in  Galway.  island  was  a  holy  habitation,  that  is,  had  a 

The  authority  here  referred  to  by  our  au-  church  or  chapel  upon  it. 

thor  is  evidently  the  Book  of  Lecan,  but  ,     ^  Dun  Maoilduibh,  at  lasgach This  was 

that  from  which  Keating  drew  his  account  the  name  of  an  earthen  fort  near  the  river 

of  Dathi  is  unknown  to  the  Editor.  Easkey,  in  the  barony  of  Tireragh,   and 

^  Inis  Amhalgaidh,  in  Loch  Con,  now,  county  of  Sligo,  about  eleven  miles  and  a 

according  to  the  oldest  of  the  natives  of  the  half  north  north-east  of  Ballina. 

O2 


loo 


Qon^up  a  quo  Ui  Qonjuy^a,  l?6nan  6  t)-rdiD  Ui  l?6nain,  .1.  Uaoipij 
niui^e  bpon,  Cuilen  6  t)-udit)  Ui  Cuilen  Qua  pen. 

Qp  6  Qrhalgaib,  mac  piacpach  Galgai^,  Oo  |iine  Capn  Qrhal- 
5ai6  t)o  rocailc  Do  cum  aonai^,  agup  apo-oipeaccaip,  agup  ap  ann 
po  h-ablacao  Qmal^aib,  conao  ua6  ammni^ueap  an  capn,  .1.  Capn 
Qrhal^aib.  ConiD  ap  an  5-capn  poin  pio^rap  gac  peap  ^abap  pige 
00  clomn  phiacpac  Gal^ai^. 

Qrhalgaib,  mac  piacpaich  Galgaij;,  mic  Dan,  t)a  labpam  a 
ppeacnapcup,  a^up  Qrhal^aib  mac  Oaui  pepm  t)oneoc  o'pa^baib- 
piom  1  m-bpea^aib,  noca  n-pa^am  ^enealac  ace  Clann  phipbipi^ 
50  ceacrap  Oiob,  arhail  cuippeam  piopana  d  lebpaib  Clomne  pip- 
bipi^  pepin. 

^eweacach  chcoiMwe  phiRShisi^h  ceacaiH. 

Oubalrac  O5,  (.i.  me  pen,  peap  rea^ap  agup  p^piobua  an  lea- 
baip  pi  ip  in  m-bha6ain  o'aoip  CpiopD,  1666),  paDpai^,  DiapmaiD, 
agup  Seumap, 

mec  ^lolla  lopa  TTllioip,  nnc  Donncaib  TTlhoip, 

mic   an   Dubalrai^  TTlic  phip-    mic  pipbipi^, 

bipi^,  mic  Seaain  O15, 

mic  OiapmaDa  Caoic,  mic  Seaain  Cappai^, 

mic  Seumoip  TTlic  pipbipi^,  mic  pipbipi^, 

mic 

"^  Magh  Bron. — Tliis  was  the  name  of  a  an,  on  modern  maps,  though  the  name  is 

small   district  in  the   present  barony  of  better  known  to  antiqviaries  by  the  form 

Tirawley. — See  notes  to  the  Topographi-  Lecan,  in  consequence  of  the  book  com- 

cal  Poem  of  GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis.  piled  by  the   Mac    Firbis   at   the   place 

"  Athfen,  i.  e.  the  ford  of  the  chariot,  having  been  so  called  by  Irish  writers, 

now  unknown  in  Tirawley.  Lackan  is  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 

°  Cam  Amhalgaidh For  the  situation  glass,  barony  of  Tireragh,  and  county  of 

of  this  earn  see  Note  on  the  inauguration  Sligo,  where  are  the  ruins  of  a  castle  built 

of  O'Dowd,  further  on.  by  the  family  of  Mac  Firbis,  who  were 

P  Lecan,  now  generally  anglicised  Lack-  hereditary  historians  to  the  O'Dowds 


lOI 


the  Ui  Ronain,  i.  e.  the  chiefs  of  Magh  Bron™,  and  Cuilen,  from  whom 
are  the  Ui  Cuilen  of  Ath  Fen". 

It  was  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  that  raised  Carn 
Amhalgaidh°  to  serve  as  a  place  of  fairs  and  great  meetings ;  and  it 
was  in  it  Amhalgaidh  himself  was  interred,  and  from  him  the  Carn 
was  called  Carn  Amhalgaidh,  so  that  it  is  on  that  Carn  every  man  of 
the  race  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  that  assumes  the  chieftainship,  is  in- 
augurated. 

From  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  the  son  of  Dathi, 
of  whom  we  have  just  spoken,  or  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of  Dathi 
himself,  whom  we  left  in  Bregia,  I  find  no  descendants  except  the 
Clann-Firbis,  who  descend  from  either  of  them,  as  I  shall  set  down 
here  from  the  Books  of  the  Clann  Firbis  themselves. 

PEDIGREE  OF  THE  CLANN  FIRBIS  OF  LECAN^. 

Dubhaltach  Og  (i.  e.  myself^,  the  compiler  and  writer  of  this 
book  in  this  year  of  the  age  of  Christ,  1666),  Patrick,  Diarmaid,  and 
James, 

sons  of  Giolla  losa  Mor,  son  of  Ferbisigh, 

son  of  Dubhaltach  Mac  Firbis,  son  of  John  Og, 

son  of  Diarmaid  Caoch,  son  of  John  Carrach, 

son  of  James  Mac  Firbis,  son  of  Ferbisigh, 

son  of  Donnchadh  Mor,  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh. 


son 


See  Notes  farther  on.  time  from  Dubhaltach,  who  commenced 

^  Dubhaltach  Og,  i.  e.  myself. — This  pe-  this  compilation  in  1 645,  up  to  Dathi,  who 

dio-ree  is  marked  as  defective  in  the  smaller  became  monarch  of  Ireland  in  405.     One 

compilation  made  in  1 666,  though  given  fact,  however,  must  be  acknowledged,  that 

consecutively,   and  as  if  perfect,   in  the  it  appears  from  all  the  authentic  Irish  pe- 

larger  work,   compiled   at    Galway  ;  and  digrees  that  more  than  thirty  years,  the 

certain  it  is,  that  twenty-nine  generations  average  standard  laid  down  by  Newton, 

are  not  enough  to  answer  the  period  of  must  be  allowed  to  each  generation. 


I02 

TTiic  5io^^c(  na  naorh,  rmc  Qon^upa, 

mic  Dorhnaill  na  i^^oile,  mic  iLocloinn  Coca  Con, 

mic  Ctrhlaoib,  nmc  Goin, 

mic  Seaam,  mic  Concabaiji  na  conaijice, 

nnic  Donncui6,  nnic  Guna, 

TTiic    ^lolla    piiat)|iai5    ('5C(|i  mic  Conam^, 

li-oilea6  Ui^eajindn  Oijii^),  nnic  rnuiyieaboi^, 

mic   pipbiy^i^,  a  quo  clann  piji-  mic  peap^uya, 

bii^i^,  mic  Qrhalgaib, 

mic  Dorhnaill  O15,  mic  Daci. 
mic  Dorhnaill  TTHioiji, 

Ni  peaoap  nap  coip  piacpa  Gal^ach  et)ip  Daci  a^up  Qrhal^aiD, 
X)o  bpi^  ^iip  ob  e  ceD  t)iiccup  Clomne  pipbipi^  an  calarh  1  pu^ab, 
a^up  a  paibe  Qrhal^aib,  mac  piacpac  Gal^ai^,  map  a  Dubpamap 
ceana,  agup  map  a  t)eapom  ap  na  Ourcupacuib. 

^pea^oip,  a^up  Qmopiap,  agup  Uomap  O5. 
mec  Uomaip  Chaim,  mic  Seumaip, 

mic  an  Dubalcai^,  mic  Diapmaoa  Caoic. 

TTlaicfu, 
mac  Semuip  Oig,  mic  Seumaip. 

mic  an  Dubalcai^, 

pireal  t)iobai6  Uopna  t)iobai5  TTTIaolmuipe  t)iobai5  rpf  mec  ba 
pme  a^  an  Dubalcac,  mac  Seamuip. 

bpian  Dopca  Diobaig  paoi  peancaibe,  t)apa  mac  Seamuip,  mic 
DiapmaDa  CViaoic. 

peappeapa,  Q06,  Tllaolmuipe,  a^up  DiapmuiD, 
mec  Ciorpuaib  O15,  D'dp  beapb-        5ui6e, 

pacaip  peapbipig,  mec  CiorpuaiD, 

mic  pippeapa,  o'dp  beapbpdirpe    mic  DiapmaDa  Cbaoic, 
Diapmait)   Caoc,   agup  Cto6    mic  Donncaba  TTIlioip. 

Seamup 


103 


son  of  Domlinall  of  the  school, 

son  of  Amhlaoibh, 

son  of  John, 

son  of  Donnchadh, 

son  of  Giolla  Phadraig,  by  whom 

St.  Tighearnan  of  Errew  was 

fostered, 
son  of  Ferbisigh,  a  quo    Clann 

Firbisigh, 
son  of  Domhnall  Og, 
son  of  Domhnall  Mor, 


son  of  Aongus, 

son  of  Lochlainn  of  Loch  Con, 

son  of  John, 

son  of  Conchobhar  na  Conairte 

[i.  e.  of  the  pack  of  hounds], 
son  of  Enna, 
son  of  Conaing, 
son  of  Muireadhach, 
son  of  Feargus, 
son  of  Amhalgaidh, 
son  of  Dathi. 


I  know  not  but  Fiachra  Ealgach  should  come  between  Dathi  and 
Amhalgaidh,  because  the  land  in  which  Amhalgaidh,  the  son  of 
Fiachra  Ealgach  was  born,  and  in  which  he  dwelt,  was  the  first  patri- 
monial inheritance  of  the  Clann  Firbis,  as  we  have  already  mentioned, 
and  as  we  shall  mention  again  when  treating  of  the  inheritors. 

Gregory,  Andreas,  and  Thomas  Og, 
sons  of  Thomas  Cam,  son  of  James, 

son  of  Dubhaltach,  son  of  Diarmaid  Caoch. 

Mathew, 
son  of  James  Og,  son  of  James, 

son  of  Dubhaltach, 

Fitheal,  Torna,  and  Maolmuire,  who  all  died  without  issue,  were 
the  three  elder  sons  of  Dubhaltach,  son  of  James. 

Brian  Dorcha,  a  learned  historian,  who  died  without  issue,  was 
the  second  of  James,  the  son  of  Diarmaid  Caoch. 

Fearfeasa,  Aodh,  Maolmuire,  and  Diarmaid, 
sons  of  Ciothruadh  Og,  who  had        Aodh  Buidhe, 
a  brother  Fear-bisigh,  son  of  Ciothruadh, 


son  of  Fearfeasa,  whose  brothers 
were   Diarmaid,    Caoch,    and 


son  of  Diarmaid  Caoch, 
son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 


James 


I04 


Seam  lip  ajup  'Coiina, 
TTfiec  an  phijiDopca,  mic  OiapTnat)a  Cyioic, 

TTiic    Uopna    Dea]ib|iat:ai|i    Cu-      nriic  Doncai6  TTlli6i|i. 
conn 


*  *  * 


S6iochc  ui^ciam,  mic  t)ONNCiiait)h  mhoii?  mhic  piRShisi^h 

t)onnca6,  Tnaolmuijie,  a^up  Cu^aib, 
upi  mec  ^eanainn  (Deajibjiaraip     Tnec   Seaam  Oi^    (o'ctp    oeapb- 


phopanoain), 
mec  phepcepcne   (t)'dp   oeapb- 
pdirpe    TTIaolmuipe,    a^up 
peapbipi^), 


jiaicpe     ^lolla     lopa,     agup 
Oonncab  O5  Ofobai^), 

mec  Uilliam, 

mic  Oonncaib  TTloip. 


mic  Uilliam, 

mic  Ounncui6  TTloip. 


PionDuine  O5, 
mac  pionouine, 
mic  ^lolla  1opa, 

Uilliam  O5,  no  beag,  a^iip  Seaan  O5, 
mec  Seaam  O15,  mic  Uilliam, 

mic  ^lolla  lopa,  mic  Oonnca6a  TTloip. 

Donncab  O5  t)iobai6, 
mac  Uilliam,  mic  Ooncaib  TTT}i6i]i. 

bpian  t)opca,  Seaan  O5,  Seumup,  Q06,  UaDg  T?ua6,  Gumonn 
6ui6e,  agup  TTlaolmui|ie, 


mec  Cto6a  O15, 

mic  Cioupuai6, 

mic  "Caib^  T?uai6, 

mic  Pipbipi^, 

mic  Uomaip  Cbaim, 

mic  5iollc(  1opa  TTloip, 


mic  Oonncaba, 

mic  ^lolla  lopa  TTlhoip,  baoi  60 

bliabana  a  pgolaigeacc, 
mic  pipbipi^, 
mic  TTluipceapcai^, 
mic  Seaain, 

[Q  oepreap 


I05 


James  and  Torna, 
sons  of  Feardorcha, 
son  of  Torna,   brother   of  Cu- 
dion*^,  *  *  *, 


son  of  Diarmaid  Caoch, 
son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 


THE  EACE  OF  WILLIAM,  SON  OF  DONNCHADH  MOR  MAC  FIRBIS. 

Donnchadh,  Maolmuire,  and  Lughaidh, 
three  sons  of  Geanann,  whose  bro-    son  of  John  Og  (whose  brother 


was  GioUa  losa  and  Donnchadh 
Og,  who  died  issueless), 

son  of  William, 

son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 


son  of  William, 

son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 


ther  was  Forannan, 
son  of  Fercertne,  whose  brothers 
were   Maolmuire  and  Fearbi- 
sigh, 

Fionduine  Og, 
son  of  Fionduine, 
son  of  GioUa  losa, 

William  Og,  or  Beg,  and  John  Og, 
sons  of  John  Og,  son  of  WilUam, 

son  of  GioUa  losa,  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 

Donnchadh  Og,  who  died  without  issue, 
son  of  William,  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 

Brian  Dorcha,  John  Og,  James,  Aodh,  Tadhg  Ruadh,  Edmond 
Buidhe,  and  Maolmuire, 


sons  of  Aodh  Og, 
son  of  Ciothruadh, 
son  of  Tadhg  Euadh, 
son  of  Fearbisigh, 
son  of  Thomas  Cam, 
son  of  GioUa  losa  Mor, 


son  of  Donnchadh, 

son  of  GioUa  losa  Mor,  who  was 

sixty  years  teaching  school, 
son  of  Fearbisigh, 
son  of  Muircheartach, 
son  of  John. 


[It 

^  Cuchonn The  original  is  liere  eiFaced,  but  there  is  very  little  wanting. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  P 


io6 


[Q  oepreaji  ^uji  lonann  flomea6  t)o  Chlomn  piiipbipig  Leacain 
TTlic  pipbifi^,  in-lb  piacpac  ip  Qrhalgaib,  a^up  t)o'n  t)d  cineab 
dpD-n6]^ai5  ele  f i,  .1.  poijibipi^  0|ioiTninoi]i  m  n-Qlbain,  agup  in 
gac  die  ele  a  b-puiliD  'na  n-Qlbanaca,  ip  na  cpi  piogaccaib  p,  agup 
Cpuibpig  a  n-allana  1  b-pine  ^hall,  ap  n-Dul,  cpe  capin-clannu^ab 
a^uf  eaccpa^ab  na  n-^aoibiol  6'n  5-cpfc  50  cele,  1  n-galloacr,  imup 
t)o  cuaDap  cineaba  lomDa  ele,  t)o  pep  na  b-pd6  Do  raipn^aip  50 
m-beofp  ^aill  na  n-^aoi6eala,  a^iip  ^aoibil  na  n-^alla]. 

nriaoloub,  mac  piacpach  Gal^aig,  cpi  inec  lep,  .i.  Cobuac, 
"Cemean,  a^up  Uiobpame. 

Cobrac,  niac  ITlaoilouib,  aon  rhac  laip,  .1.  TTIaolDiiin  6  D-cdm 
Ui  TTIaoilouin,  co  n-a  ^-coibneapaib,  .1.  TTlec  ^lolla  na  n-eac, 
a^up  TTlec  ^lolla  buib  na  Copcaije,  a^up  Ui  Oiiibp^uile,  a^up  Ui 
Qilrhec. 

■CeTYiiTi,  Tinac  TTlaoilDuib,  o  D-cdit)  Clanna  Ueinin,  .1.  Ui  TTluip- 
^eapa,  a^up  Ui  TTlaonai^,  a^up  TTlec  ^^^Ua  piabai^,  Ui  Qoba, 
a^up  Ui  Oonncaba. 

Caorhan  a^up  Ouboa, 
Tuec  Connrhai^, 
mic  Oumncaca, 
TTiic  Carail, 
mic  Qilella, 

6a 


TTiic  Duncaba, 
TYiic  Uiobpaibe, 
TTfiic  TTlaoilDuib. 


■^  It  is  said,  Sfc. — This  passage  enclosed  ruj)tly  KildufF.     It  is  strange  that  modern 

in  brackets  is  taken  from  our  author's  usage  has  almost  invariably  changed  the 

smaller  work  compiled  in  1666.  Gilla  of  the  original  Irish  into  Kill  in  the 

■^  O'Maoilduin,  now  Muldoon,  but  the  Anglicised  form,  as  Kilroy  for  Gilroy,  Kil- 

name,  though  common  in  other  parts  of  kenny  for  Gilkenny  or  Giolla  Cainnigh. 
Ireland,  does  not  exist  in  this  district.  "  O'Duhhscuile,  now  obsolete. 

^  Mac  Gilla  na  n-eacJi,   now  obsolete.  "'  G'h-Ailmhec,  now  obsolete.  It  was  an- 

Giolla  na  n-each  tl\q&i\^  juvenis  equorum.  glicised  Helwick. 

^  Mac  Giolla  duibh,  now  Gildixff,  and  cor-         ^  G'Muirgheasa,  now  Morissy,  without 


I07 

[It  is  said'^  the  Clann  Firbis  of  Lecan  Mac  Firbis  in  Hy-Fiachrach 
and  Hy-Amlialgaidli,  have  the  same  surname  with  the  two  aristocra- 
tic families  of  Forbes  of  Drominoir,  in  Scotland,  or  wherever  else 
they  are  to  be  found  as  Scotchmen,  in  the  three  kingdoms ;  as  also  with 
the  Cruces,  formerly  of  Fingal,  having,  in  the  coiu"se  of  the  intermix- 
tures and  migrations  of  the  Gaels  from  one  country  to  another,  become 
English,  as  many  other  tribes  have  become,  according  to  the  pro- 
phets, who  foretold  that  the  Galls  would  be  Gaels,  and  the  Gaels 
would  be  Galls]. 

Maoldubh,  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  had  three  sons,  namely, 
Cobhthach,  Temen,  and  Tiobraide. 

Cobhthach,  the  son  of  Maoldubh,  had  one  son,  namely,  Maolduin, 
from  whom  are  descended  the  families  of  O'Maoilduin'',  with  their 
correlatives,  namely,  Mac  GioUa  na  n-each',  Mac  GioUa-duibh'  of 
Corcach,  O'Duibhscuile",  and  O'h-Almhec''. 

From  Temen,  the  son  of  Maoldubh,  are  descended  the  Clanna 
Temin,  namely,  the  families  of  O'Muirgheasa'',  O'Maonaigh'',  Mac 
GioUa  riabhach^,  O'h-Aodha^,  and  O'Donnchadha''. 

Caomhan  and  Dubhda, 
sons  of  Conmhach,  son  of  Dunchadh, 

son  of  Donncatha,  son  of  Tiobraide, 

son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Maoldubh. 

son  of  Ailell, 

Caomhan 

the  prefix  O'.  who  write  Mac  Ilwane  for  Mac  GioUa  bhain, 

^  G'Mmnaigh,  nowMeeny.     This  name  Mac  Ildufi"for  Mac  GioUa  duibh,  &c. 
is  stUl  found  in  Tireragh.     In  other  parts         ^  OVi-Aodha. — This  name  is  stUl  in  Ti- 

of  Ireland  it  is  angUcised  Mainy,  and  some-  reragh,  and  always  angUcised  Hughes.  The 

times  Mooney.  same  name,  but  borne  by  a  family  of  a 

y  Mac  GioUa  riahhach,  now  Mac  Gilrea,  different   race,    is    rendered    O'Hea   and 

and  in  the  north  of  Ireland  barbarously  ren-  Hayes  in  Munster. 

dered  Mac  Urea,  in  imitation  of  the  Scotch,  ^  GP Donndiadha This  name  is  noAV  ob- 

P2 


io8 


6a  pne  Caoman  ind  Oiiboa,  ^up  faoil  Caorhan  50  Tna6  ley 
pen  an  plaiceap;  conap  beonai^  Oia  do  pio^a  pop  a  pliocc ;  50 
n-t)eapnpat)  t)ail  im  ceant)  na  pi^e,  .1.  a  po^a  cuaice  Dia  biiccap, 
a^up  lear^uala  pig  Ua  b-piacpac  a^  peap  lonaiD  Chaorhain  Do 
5peap.  Q  eac  a^up  a  eappaD  an  can  pi^pireap,  a^up  ueacu  po 
rpi  'na  ennceall  lap  n-a  pio^ab.  Q^up  ap  1  cuau  pug  lona  pojam, 
.1.  6  UhuaiTTi  Da  bo6ap  50  g^eoip.  Gac,  eappaD,  agup  euDac  Ui 
Chaomain  Do  ITlliac  pinpbipig,  an  Id  goippeap  TTlac  Pipbipij  ainm 
ngeapna  d'  O'OubDa. 

CaoTTidn  umoppo,  6  D-caiD  Ui  Caorham,  aon  rhac  lep,  a.  Cacal. 

^eweacacb 


solete  in  Lower  Connauglit.  In  Munster 
it  is  anglicised  O'Donoglioe,  in  Ulster 
Donagliy,  but  the  families  wliose  names 
are  so  anglicised  are  of  a  different  race 
from  that  in  question. 

*"  The  following  agreement. — Similar  pri- 
vileges were  ceded  by  the  O' Conors  of 
Connaught  to  the  O'Finaghtys  of  Duna- 
mon,  chiefs  of  Clann  Conway,  in  acknow- 
ledgment of  the  seniority  of  the  latter. 
These  privileges  are  described  by  our 
author  in  the  Pedigree  of  O'Finaghty,  and 
his  words  are  here  translated  for  the  satis- 
faction of  the  reader  : 

"  Connmhach"  [the  ancestor  of  O'Fin- 
aghty] "  was  the  eldest  son  of  Muireadh- 
ach"  [the  ancestor  of  the  royal  family  of 
Connaught],  "  and  in  consequence  of  this 
seniority,  the  descendants  of  Connmhach 
[though  inferior  in  power]  are  entitled  to 
great  privileges  from  the  descendants  of 
the  other  sons  of  Muireadhach,  viz.,  to 
drink  the  first  cup  at  every  royal  feast 


and  banquet ;  and  all  the  descendants  of 
the  other  sons  miist  rise  up  before  the  re- 
presentative of  Connmhach.  O'Finaghty 
was  the  royal  chieftain  of  Clann  Conn- 
mhaigh,  and  had,  before  the  English  inva- 
sion, forty-eight  bally s"  [i.  e.  large  ancient 
Irish  townlands]  "  lying  on  both  sides  of 
the  River  Suck ;  but  the  Burkes  drove  him 
from  his  patrimonial  inheritance,  and  there 
lives  not  at  the  time  of  writing  this  book" 
[1645]  "  any  of  the  family  of  O'Finaghty 
more  distinguished  than  the  good  and 
pious  priest  James  O'Finaghty,  whose 
brothers  are  William  and  Redmond." 

'^  Caomhrni's  representative,  i.  e.  the  chief 
of  the  O'Caomhain  family.  This  name  is 
still  numerous  in  Lower  Connaught,  but 
has  been  most  generally,  though  corruptly, 
anelicised  Cavanao;h,  to  assimilate  it  with 
that  of  the  more  celebrated  family  of  Lein- 
ster.  In  some  parts  of  Lower  Connaught, 
however,  it  is  correctly  anglicised  Keewan 
and  Keevan.  This  family  sunk  into  compa- 


1C9 

Caomhan  was  older  than  Dublida,  and  Caomhan  thouglit  that 
the  chieftainship  was  his  own ;  but  God  did  not  permit  that  kings 
should  be  of  his  posterity ;  and  they  came  to  the  following  agree- 
ment" about  the  chieftainship,  namely,  that  Caomhan' s*"  representative 
should  always  possess  his  choice  territory  in  the  principality,  and  the 
privilege  of  being  at  the  right  side  of  the  king  of  Hy-Fiachrach  ; 
that  he  should  get  the  king's  steed  and  battle-dress  at  the  time  of  his 
inauguration,  and  should  walk  round  him  thrice  after  his  instalment. 
And  the  territory  he  selected  was  that  extending  from  Tuaim  da 
bhodhar*^  to  the  River  Gleoir^  The  steed,  battle-dress,  and  raiment 
of  O'Caomhain  to  be  given  to  Mac  Firbis,  the  day  that  Mac  Firbis 
shall  give  the  name  of  lord  to  O'Dubhda. 

Caomhan,  from  whom  \\\e  family  o/"  O'Caomhain  is  descended, 
had  one  son,  namely,  Cathal. 

PEDIGREE 


rative  insignificance  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury, and  though  they  seem  to  have  held 
their  little  principality  till  the  beginning 
of  the  fifteenth  century,  the  Irish  annalists 
have  preserved  but  few  notices  of  them. 
Under  the  year  1294  the  Four  Masters 
enter  the  death  of  Diarmaid  O'Caomhain, 
and  under  1306  that  of  David  O'Caomh- 
ain, who  was  lord  of  the  territory  extend- 
ing from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar  to  the  River 
Gleoir.  But  shortly  after  this  period 
they  disappear  from  history,  and  they  are 
all  at  present  reduced  to  obscurity  and 
indigence. 

^  Tuaim  da  bhodhar,  i,  e.  the  tumulus 
of  the  two  deaf  persons.  This  place  is  still 
well  known,  and  the  name  is  anglicised 
Toomore.     It  is  the  name  of  a  townland 


and  parish  in  the  north  of  the  barony  of 
Gallen  and  county  of  Mayo,  containing 
the  little  town  of  Beal  easa,  now  called  in 
English  Foxford. 

^  Gleoir.  —  According  to  a  local  anti- 
quary, who  was  a  very  good  Irish  scholar 
and  a  living  library  of  Irish  traditions, 
the  late  Shane  Bane  Tympany  (TTIac  Qn 
Uiompctnaij),  this  was  the  ancient  name 
of  a  small  river,  now  commonly  called  the 
river  of  Coillin,  or  Liathmhuine,  anglice 
Leafibny,  which  rises  to  the  south  of  the 
townland  of  Townalaghta  in  the  parish  of 
Kilglass,  barony  of  Tireragh  and  county 
of  Sligo,  and  flowing  nearly  in  a  northern 
direction,  empties  itself  into  the  bay  of 
Killala  at  Poll  an  chaonaigh,  anglice  Pol- 
lacheeny,  in  the  townland  of  Cabrakeel. 


no 


^eweacach  ui  chaomhaiN 

Daibi6,  agu]^  Oorhnall, 
mec  C(o6a, 
TTiic  Oaibib, 
mic  UoTYiaiy, 


TTiic  ^loUa  na  naorh, 
TTiic  Oorhnaill, 
TTIIC  Oaibib, 
TTiic  Dia]Tmat)a, 
TTiic  Uomai]^, 
TTiic  Oorhnaill, 
mic  UoTnaiy^, 


rrnc  OiapmaDa, 

mic  Oorhnaill, 

mic  Carail, 

mic  ^lolla  na  naerh, 

mic  OiayimaOa, 

mic  Cauail, 

mic  Caorhain,  6  D-raD  Ui  Cao- 

rhain, 
mic  Connrhai^;, 
mic  Ooinncaca,  "]c. 


mic  ^lolla  na  naerh, 

Uomalcac,  TTla^nuy^,  Oonncab,  C(o6  pionn,  agup  Seaan,  coig 
mec  Oaibib,  mic  Qo6a  pn. 

Uomaf  O5,  Uomalrac,  Niall,  a^U]^  Caral  Piabac,  clann 
Uomaif  miioip,  rhic  OaibiD,  mic  gio^^ct  na  naorh  TTloiji  annfin. 

Ul  t)lJ6ht)a  siosaHQ. 

Oubt>a  (mac  Connmaig;),  mac  le|>  .1.  Ceallac,  araip  Qo6a,  arap 
TTlaoiljiuanaib,  acap  TTlaoileacloinn,  arap   Nell,  arap   'Chaicli^, 

agup 

<■  David,  son  of  Aodh — This  David  be-  dent  that  the  O'Caomhains,  or  Kavanaghs 

ing  the  twenty-seventh  in  descent  from  of  Lower  Connaught,  sunk  into  insignifi- 

Dathi,  the  last  pagan  monarch  of  Ireland,  cance  about  this  period,   as  Mac  Firbis 

seems  to  have  flourished  about  the  year  carries  down  their  pedigree  no  later.     The 

1447,    for    the   celebrated  Maolruanaidh  last  of  this  family  mentioned  in  the  Annals 

O'Dowd,  chief  of  his  name,  who  was  the  of  the  Four  Masters  is  David  O'Caomhain, 

same  number  of  generations  removed  from  who  is  styled  lord  of  that  tract  of  country 

King  Dathi,  died  in  that  year.     It  is  evi-  extending  from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar  to  the 


Ill 


PEDIGREE  OF  O  CAOMHAIN. 

David^  and  Domlmall, 
sons  of  Aodh, 
son  of  David, 
son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  Giolla  na  naomli, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  David, 
son  of  Diarmaid, 
son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Thomas, 
son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 

Tomaltach,  Maghnus,  Donnchadh,  Aodh  Fionn,  and  John,  five 
sons  of  David,  son  of  that  Aodh. 

Thomas  Og,  Tomaltach,  Niall,  and  Cathal  Riabhach,  were  the  sons 
of  Thomas  Mor,  son  of  David,  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh  Mor. 

THE  FAMILY  OF  O'DUBHDA^  DOWN  HERE. 

Dubhda  (son  of  Connmhach)  had  a  son,  Ceallach,  the  father  of 
Aodh,  who  was  father  of  Maolruanaidh,  the  father  of  Maoileachlainn, 

father 


son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Domhnall, 

son  of  Cathal, 

son  of  Giolla  na  naomh, 

son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Cathal. 

son  of  Caomhan,  from  whom  the 

family  o/"0'Caomhain, 
son  of  Connmhach, 
son  of  Donncatha. 


River  Gleoir,  and  wlio  was  slain  in  the 
year  1 306.  He  was  evidently  the  David 
given  in  the  above  line  of  pedigree  as  the 
twelfth  in  descent  from  Caomhan. 

2  G'Dubhda This  name  is   variously 

anglicised,  but  the  form  O'Dowd  seems  to 
be  that  most  generally  adopted,  though 
the  present  head  of  the  name,  Tadhg  or 
Thaddasus  O'Dubhda  of  Muine  Chonallain, 


now  corruptly  Bunnyconnellan,  always 
writes  it  O'Dowda,  following  the  autho- 
rity of  the  more  ancient  of  his  family  deeds, 
in  which  the  name  is  generally  so  written. 
In  the  old  English  Inquisitions,  and  other 
documents  relating  to  Lower  Connaught,  it 
is  generally  written  O'Dowde,  though  the 
native  Irish  pronunciation  is  O'Dooda  (the 
rf's  pronounced  thick  as  in  the  Spanish  and 


112 


aguf  Mell,  o  t)-T:dit)  Clann  Nell ;  a^uy^  ay  lat)  fin  |io  ^ab  popldrhiip 
a|i  bublicliiiir'  muincipe  Caorhain,  ^up  rhapbpat)  a  cele  uime,  .1. 
Daibib  as^f  Oorhiiall  O'Caorham  00  rhapbab  Do  Niall,  mac  Qoba, 
TTiic  Nell;  a^iip  Niall  Do  rhapbaD  Do  TTlhuipceapcac  pionn  O'Caorh- 
ain  1  n-Diojal  a  bpairpeac,  ^up  ^ab  pen  an  uaoipiojacc. 

Uaicleac  umoppo,  an  Dapa  mac  Nell,  mic  TTlaoileacloinn,  ap 
ua6a  an  piojpaiD,  .1.  TTIinpceapcac  (mac  Qo6a,  mic  Uaiuli^),  araip 
QoDa,  auaip  Uhaicli^,  bhpiain  Ohep^  (o  D-cdiD  Clann  Uairli^ 
O15),  agup  miimpceapcai^. 

maolpuanaiD  (mac  Cto6a,  mic  Ceallui^,  mic  OubDa),  Da  mac 
laip,  .1.  Oomnall  Dia  pabaDap  Clann  n-Oomnaill  Loca  Con.  Qp 
6  an  Oomnall  pm  Do  uuic  le  h-Uib  gd'^^^cicdm  a^  beapnai^ 
Domnaill,  1  TTlui^  Gleo^. 

TTlaoileacloinn  umoppo,  an  Dapa  mac  ITlaoilpuanaiD,  ap  ua6a 
an  piojpaiD. 

Oomnall  mac  TTlaoilpuanaiD  Dno,  ap  Dia  CMomn  Carbapp, 

araip 


Italian  languages).  Connell  Mageoghegan 
in  his  translation  of  the  Annals  of  Clon- 
macnoise,  made  in  1627,  always  renders 
this  name  O'Dowdie,  which  is  not  very 
far  from  the  Irish  pronunciation.  In  the 
south  of  Ireland,  where  there  are  many  of 
this  name,  and  probably  of  this  race,  it  is 
anglicised  among  the  peasantry  Doody,  and 
in  the  county  of  Derry,  where  there  are 
several  of  the  name,  but  of  a  different  race, 
it  is  anglicised  Duddy  or  Duddie,  a  form 
not  to  be  approved  of. 

^  Who  assumed  the  chieftainship  himself. 
No  account  of  these  slaughters,  mutu- 
ally committed  by  these  families  on  each 
other,  is  to  be  found  in  the  Annals  of  the 


Four  Masters,  nor  does  Duald  Mac  Firbis 
himself  give  any  date  for  them  in  his  An- 
nals of  the  O'Dowd  family.  If  we  calcu- 
late by  generations  we  must  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  these  occurrences  took 
place  before  the  English  invasion,  for 
Niall,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Niall  O'Dowd, 
who  slew  David  and  Domhnall  O'Caomh- 
ain,  was  the  seventeenth  in  descent  from 
King  Dathi,  and  Taithleach  O'Dowd,  lord 
of  Tireragh  and  Tirawley,  who  was  slain 
in  the  year  1192,  was  the  nineteenth  ge- 
neration from  the  same  monarch,  so  that 
Niall  would  appear  to  have  lived  about 
sixty  years  earlier. 

'^  Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Aodh. — The  death 


"3 

father  of  Niall,  father  of  Taithleach  and  Niall,  from  whom  the  Clami 
Neill;  and  these  were  they  who  usurped  the  inheritance  of  the 
O'Caomhains,  on  account  of  which  mutual  slaughters  were  committed, 
viz.,  David  and  Domhnall  O'Caomhain  were  slain  by  Niall,  son  of 
Aodh,  son  of  Niall;  and  Niall  himself  was  slain  to  avenge  his 
brother  by  Muircheartach  Fionn  O'Caomhain,  who  assumed  the 
chieftainship  himselP. 

From  Taithleach,  the  second  son  of  Niall,  son  of  Maoileachlainn, 
the  chiefs  of  the  0' Dow d  family  are  descended,  viz.,  Muircheartach 
(son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Taithleach),  father  of  Aodli,  father  of  Taith- 
leach, of  Brian  Dearg  (from  whom  are  the  Clann  Taithhgh  Oig), 
and  of  Muircheartach. 

Maolruanaidh'  (son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Ceallach,  son  of  Dubhda) 
had  two  sons,  namely,  Domhnall,  from  whom  sprang  the  Clann 
Domhnaill,  of  Loch  Con.  This  is  the  Domhnall^  who  was  slain  by 
the  O'Gaibhtheachains  [0'  Gaughans],  at  Bearna  Domhnaill,  in  Magh 
Eleog\ 

From  Maoileachlainn^  the  second  son  of  Maolruanaidh,  the  chiefs 
are  descended. 

Of  the  sons  of  Domhnall,  son  of  Maolruanaidh,  was  Cathbharr, 

the 

of  this  Maolruanaidh  is   entered   in  the  have  taken  place  a  few  years  later. 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year  ^  Magh  Eleog  is  the  ancient  name  of  the 

1005,  where  he  is  called  lord  of  Hy-Fiach-  level  part  of  the  parish  of  Crossmolina, 

rach  Muirisce.     His  father,  Aodh,  who  is  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  through  which 

called  by  Mac  Firbis,  in  his  Annals  of  the  the  Eiver  Deel  flows. 

O'Dowd  family,  King  of  North  Connaught,  ^  Maoileachlainn This  Maoileachlainn, 

died  in  the  year  983.  Melaghlin,  or  Malachy,  from  whom  almost 

J  This  is  the  Domhnall The  date  of  all  the  subsequent  chiefs  of  the  O'Dowd 

this  occurrence  is  not  given  in  the  Annals  family  descended,  died  in  1005,  the  same 

of  the  Four  Masters  ;  but,  as  DomhnaU's  year  in  which  his  father  also  died, 
father  died  in  1005,  we  may  suppose  it  to 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  Q 


114 


araip  Dhorhnaill  pinnt),  (tDiobai^  acu  in^ean),  a^uf  Qoba,  araip 
Uhaiuli^  (pi^  Lla  n-Qrhaljaio  a^up  Ua  n-piacpac),  a^uf  an 
Chopnarhm^  TTlhoip,  ap  e  peap  corhlainn  cet)  caims  pa  6e]iea6  e, 
agup  O'^loinin  t)o  rhajib  e  im  ceann  cuilen  con,  i  b-pill,  'na  cig  pen 
1  n-lmp  Cua. 

Uairleac,  mac  Qoba,  Da  rhac  lep,  .1.  Q06  agup  Qrhlaoib. 

Donncab  TT16|i,  mac  Qo6a  (mic  Uairlij,  mic  Qoba,  mic  TTluip- 
ceapcai^,  mic  Qo6a,  mic  Uairlig;,  mic  Nell),  cpf  mec  lep,  .1.  bpian, 
ITlaolpuanaiD,  a^up  TTluipceaprac,  6  D-cait)  Clann  Concabaip. 

rriaolpiia  ni6,  mac  Oonncuib  TTlhoip,  t)a  mac  lep,  .1.  Uaicleac 
a^up  an  Copnarhui^,  .1.  Qipcioeocain  Uuama  Da  ^hualann,  ajup 
abbap  aipD-Gppuic. 

Uairleac,  mac  TTlaoilpuanaib,  rpi  mec  lep,  .1.  bpian  O'Duboa,  pi 
Ua  b-piacpac  agup  Ua  n-Qrhal^aib,  a^up  OonncaD  TTlop  O'Oubba, 

piogbarhna 


™  Domhnall  Fionn.  —  The  death  of 
DomhnaJl  Fionn  O'Dowd,  lord  of  Hy- 
Amhalgadha,  now  Tirawley,  is  entered  in 
the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the 
year  1 1 26,  but  whether  he  was  this  Domh- 
nall Fionn  or  not,  cannot  be  clearly  deter- 
mined, as  the  name  of  his  father  is  omitted 
by  the  annalists,  a  thing  very  unusual 
with  them.  It  is,  however,  highly  pro- 
bable that  they  were  the  same. 

"  Taithleack,  King  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh 
and  Hy-Fiachrach,  i.  e.  of  Tirawley  and 
Tireragh.  He  was  slain  in  the  year  1 128, 
in  a  battle  fought  at  Ardee,  between  the 
cavalries  of  O'Conor,  King  of  Connaught, 
and  Mac  Loughlin,  Prince  of  Aileach. 

°  Cosnamhach  Mor The  murder  of 

this  great  warrior  is  mentioned   in  the 


Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year 
1 1 62,  but  the  trifling  cause  is  not  added. 
The  fighter  of  an  hundred  men  is  a  usual 
expression  in  Irish  stories  to  denote  a  man 
of  extraordinary  puissance  and  valour. 

P  Inis  Cua^  now  Inishcoe,  a  townland 
extending  into  Lough  Con,  in  the  south- 
east of  the  parish  of  Crossmolina,  in  the 
barony  of  Tirawley. 

^  Donnchadh  Mor,  son  ofAodk,  S^c — He 
was  a  very  famous  chieftain  of  the  O'Dowd s, 
and  flourished  about  the  years  1 207,  1 2 1 3 . 
In  1 2 13,  according  to  our  author,  in  his 
brief  Annals  of  the  O'Dowd  family,  he 
sailed  with  a  fleet  of  fifty-six  ships  from 
the  Hebrides  into  Cuan  Modh,  now  Clew 
Bay,  landed  on  the  Island  of  Inis  Eaithin 
there,  and  compelled  Cathal  Croibhdhearg, 


115 

the  father  of  Domhnall™  Fionn  (who  had  no  issue  except  a  daughter), 
and  of  Aodli,  father  of  Taithleach°  (King  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh  and 
Hy-Fiachrach),  and  of  Cosnamhach  Mor°,  the  only  iighter  of  an 
hundred  that  came  in  latter  times,  and  who  was  treacherously  slain 
by  O'Gloinin  in  his  own  house  at  Inis  Cua'',  on  account  of  a  dispute 
about  a  greyhound  whelp. 

Taithleach,  son  of  Aodh,  had  two  sons,  namely,  Aodh  and  Arnh- 
laoibh. 

Donnchadh  Mor"^,  son  of  Aodh  (son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Aodh, 
son  of  Muircheartach,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Niall), 
had  three  sons,  namely,  Brian"",  Maolruanaidh",  and  Muircheartach^ 
from  whom  the  Clann  Conchobhar  are  sprung. 

Maolruanaidh,  the  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor,  had  two  sons,  namely, 
Taithleach"  and  Cosnamhuigh,  i.  e.  Archdeacon  of  Tuaim  da  ghu- 
alann,  and  presumptive  Archbishop. 

Taithleach,  the  son  of  Maolruanaidh,  had  three  sons,  namely, 
Brian  O'Dubhda'',  King  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  and  the  Hy-Amhalgaidh, 

and 

or  Charles  the  Eedhanded  O'Conor,  King  by  the  son  of  Felim  O'Conor,  under  which 

of  Connaught,  to  give  him  his  own  prin-  year  he  is  called  by  the  Four  Masters  lord 

cipality  free  of  tribute.  of  that  tract  of  country  extending  from 

^'  Brian This  Brian  was  chief  of  the  Cill  Dairbhile  [now  St.  Dervila's  church, 

territories  Tireragh,  Tirawley,  and  Erris,  in  the  west  of  Erris]  to  the  strand  of 

and  was  killed  in  the  year  1 242,  while  on  Traigh  Eothaile. 

his  pilgrimage  to  the  abbey  of  Boyle.  "  Taithleach This  was  the  celebrated 

^  Maolruanaidh He  was  slain  by  the  Taithleach  O'Dowd,  surnamed  Muaidhe, 

O'Conors  in  the  year  1238,  according  to  i.  e.  of  the  Moy,  who  was  slain  by  Adam 

the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters.  Cusack,  on  the  strand  of  Traigh  Eothuile, 

^Muircheartach He   seems   to   have  in  the  year  1282. 

succeeded  his  brother  Brian  in  the  chief-         '  Brian  OPDuhhda.  —  He  was  the  cele- 

tainship,  for  in  the  year  1246  he  is  called  brated  chief  of  the  O'Dowds,   generally 

the  O'Dowd  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  called  Sean  Bhrian,  i.  e.  Old  Brian,  in  the 

Masters.     He  was  slain  in  the  year  1 248  pedigrees.      He  was  chief  of  the  O'Dowds 

Q  2 


ii6 


yiiogbarhna  O  b-piacpac  :  Sldine,  m^ean  TTIhec  TTla^riuipa  Uhipe 
■Cuacail,  a  Tnarai]i  apaon.  TTIaoleacloinn  Cappac,  an  mac  ele, 
acaip  Concabaip,  acap  TTluipceapcai^,  acap  DhiapnnaDa  agup 
TTIaoilpuanaib. 

Donncab  ITIop  mac  Uairli^  Uf  Dubba,  cpi  mec  lep,  .1.  Oonn- 
ca6  O5,  abbap  pi^  Ua  b-Piacpac,  Concabap,  ajupUilliam,  ey^poc 
Cille  h-Qlai6.  In^ean  Ui  piiloinn  mauaip  na  mac  poin  DonncaiD 
TTlhoip. 

Concabap,  mac  Oonncaib,  t)iobai5  pi6e,  ace  injeana. 

Uilliam  Gfpuc  Oct  mac  lep,  .1.  an  Copnamai^,  00  mapbab  ap 
maibm  na  Updga,  agup  Uilliam  O5 ;  Diobaib  lat)  apaon. 

Oonncab  O5,  mac  Oonncaib  TTlhoip,  clann  rhop  laip,  .i.  TTIuip- 
ceaprac  Clepeac,  abbap  pi^  agup  eppuic,  ap  eneac  agup  ap  en^- 

nam. 


in  the  year  1 3 1 6,  when  he  fought  at  the 
famous  battle  of  Athenry,  and  died  in  the 
year  1354.  Our  author  says,  in  his  short 
Annals  of  the  O'Dowd  family,  that  this 
Brian  was  chief  of  his  name  for  eighty- 
four  years,  but  this  cannot  be  considered 
true,  as  his  father  was  living  in  the  year 
1282,  and  Conchobhar  Conallach  O'Dowd, 
who  died  in  1291,  was  lord  of  Tireragh, 
according  to  the  annalists. 

^  Donnchadh  Mor  O'Dubhda He  was 

the  ancestor  of  a  powerful  sept  of  the 
O'Dowds  seated  in  the  territory  of  Cuil 
Cearnadha  (Coolcarney),  and  called  the 
Clann  Donnchadha  O'Dowd.  He  died  in 
the  year  1337,  under  which  year  he  is  styled 
by  the  Four  Masters  Tanist  of  Tireragh. 
For  some  curious  account  of  the  territory  of 
this  sept,  inserted  in  a  more  modern  hand 
on  fol.  85,  p.  h,  of  the  Book  of  Lecan,  see 


the  Addenda  to  this  volume.  In  this  ac- 
count Donnchadh  Mor,  the  ancestor  of  the 
Clann  Donnchadha  O'Dowd,  is  said  to 
have  been  the  elder  brother  of  Taithleach 
Muaidhe,  who  deprived  him  of  his  birth- 
right, but  this  genealogy  being  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  original  text  of  the  Book  of 
Lecan,  and  to  the  pedigree  compiled  by 
our  author,  cannot  be  considered  authen- 
tic ;  but  the  whole  notice  is  well  worth 
preserving  for  the  topography  and  histo- 
rical facts  which  it  preserves. 

^  Mac  Magknus,  of  Tir  Tuathail. — This 
Mac  Manus  was  a  branch  of  the  Maguires 
of  Fermanagh,  and  resided  at  Seanad  Mic 
Maghnusa,  now  called  Ballymacmanus  and 
Bellisle,  an  island  in  the  upper  Lough 
Erne,  to  the  south  of  Enniskillen. 

y  Maoileachlainn  Carrach,  i.  e.  Melaghlin, 
or  Malachy  the  Scabbed,  was  slain  in  the 


117 

and  Donnchadh  Mor  O'Diiblida"^,  heir  apparent  of  Hy-Fiachracli. 
Slaine,  daughter  of  Mac  Maghnus,  of  Tir  TuathaiP,  was  the  mother 
of  both.  Maoileachlainn  Carrach^,  the  other  son,  was  the  father  of 
Conchobhar,  who  was  father  of  Muircheartach,  the  father  of  Diar- 
maid  and  Maokuanaidh. 

Donnchadh  Mor,  son  of  Taithleach  O'Dubhda,  had  three  sons, 
namely,  Donnchadh  Og^,  heir  apparent  to  the  chieftainship  of  the  Hy- 
Fiachrach;  Conchobhar,^  and  Wilham,  Bishop  of  Killala''.  The  daugh- 
ter of  O'Flynn  was  the  mother  of  these  sons  of  Donnchadh  Mor. 

Connchobhar,  the  son  of  Donnchadh,  left  no  issue,  except  daugh- 
ters. 

William,  the  bishop,  had  two  sons,  namely,  Cosnamhaigh^  who 
was  slain  in  the  battle  of  the  Strand,  and  William  Og ;  both  died 
without  issue. 

Donnchadh  Og,  the  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor,  had  a  large  family, 
namely,  Muircheartach  Cleireach'^,  designated  king  and  bishop,  for 

his 


famous  battle  of  Atlienry,  in  the  year 
1316. 

^  Donnchadh  Og,  i.  e.  Donogh,  or  Denis 
Junior.  He  "vvas  head  of  the  Clann  Donn- 
chadha,  or  Clandonogh  O'Dowd,  and  died 
in  the  year  1384. 

^  Conchobhar,  i.  e.  Conor,  or  Cornelius. 
He  was  slain  in  the  year  1363  by  his  own 
people. 

''  William,  Bishop  of  Killala He  died 

in  the  year  1350,  and  the  notice  of  his 
death  is  entered  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  : — "  A.D.  1350.  William  O'Dowd, 
Bishop  of  Killala,  founder  of  many  churches 
and  sanctuaries,  a  pious,  charitable,  and 
humane  prelate,  died." 


•=  Cosnamhaigh,  more  correctly  Cosnamh- 
ach.  He  was  slain  in  the  year  1367,  in  a 
battle  fought  on  the  famous  strand  of 
Traiffh  Eothuile,  between  two  chieftains 
of  the  house  of  O'Conor.  Traigh  Eothuile, 
which  is  a  very  famous  locality  in  Irish 
history,  is  a  large  and  beautiful  strand  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Bellasadare  river,  in  the 
barony  of  Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo. 
It  is  about  one  mile  square,  extending 
from  the  strand  road  to  Beltraw. 

d  Muircheartach  Cleireach — He  became 
chief  of  the  sept  called  Clann  Donnchadha, 
or  Clandonogh  O'Dowd,  on  the  death  of 
his  father  in  1384,  and  died  in  1402.  His 
death  is  thus  noticed  in  the  Annals  of  the 


ii; 


nam.  Uairleac,  (lob  an  Chojiomn,  Loclamt),  6|iian  Clejieac, 
a^up  Co|iniac.     Onojia,  In^ean  Ricin  baipeuD,  a  mauai]i  fin  uile. 

imuipcea]icac,  mac  Donncum,  clann  mop  lep,  .i.  Dorhnall, 
Cacal,  Concabap  a^iip  an  Copnarhai^.  Oeapbail,  m^ean  piair- 
beapcai^  Uf  Ruaipc,  a  mauaip  pin  ;  agup  Oonncab  mac  ele  X)o, 
Oeapbail,  in^ean  Uam^  TTlic  Oonncliaba,  a  mauaip.  Uilliam  mac 
TTluipceapcai^  mac  ele  60. 

bpian,  mac  Uairli^  Ui  Dliiibba,  clann  mop  lep,  .1.  Oomnall 
Clepeac,  pi  Ua  b-piacpac,  TTlaolpuanam,  TTlajnup  Clepeac. 
bappbub,  m^iean  Dorhnaill  Ui  Concabaip  a  mdcaip.  TTiec  ele  60 
DiapmuiD  agup  Q06,  m^ean  TTlic  l?oibin  baigleip  a  mauaip ;  an 
Copnarhai^,  Niall,  Uairleac,  a^up  bpian  O5,  Onopa,  in^ean  TTlic 
bhairm  baipe  t>,  a  mdraip. 

TTlaolpuanaiD,  mac  bpiain,  aon  mac  laip,  .1.  Uaicleac,  auaip 
Uilliam,  ajup  blipiam. 

Cto6,  mac  bpiain,  clann  mair  lep,  .1.  bpian,  OiapmaiD,  (TTleabb 

m^ean 

Four  Masters  : — "A.D.  1402.  Muirchear-  who  was  the  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Dowd 

tach,  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Dowd,  a  noble  Euaidhri,  the  son  of  Taichleach,  andLoch- 

and  hospitable  man,  died  and  was  interred  lainn,  the  grandson  of  Lochlainn  O'Dowd, 

at  Ard  na  riagh  [Ardnarea  abbey]."  assisted  by  Henry  Barrett,  and  three  of 

®  Taithleach. — He  died  in  the  year  1404,  his  sons." 
according  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas-         ^  Donnchadh — He  was  living  in  1439, 

ters.  at  which  year  the  Four  Masters  have  the 

^  Conchobhar — He  was  chief  of  the  Clan-  following  notice  of  his  doings: — "  A.  D. 

donogh  O'Dowd,  and  was  slain  in  the  year  1439-   Domhnall,   son   of  Euaidhri,   who 

1438,  under  Avhich  the  Four  Masters  have  was  son  of  Taichleach  O'Dowd,  was  de- 

the   following   notice   of  him  : "  A.  D.  prived  of  his  eyes,  and  afterwards  hanged 

1438.  Conchobhar,  the  son  of  Muirchear-  by    Donnchadh,    son    of    Muircheartach 

tach  O'Dowd,  lord  of  the  Clann  Donn-  O'Dowd ;    and   Cathal,    son    of  Cormac 

chadha  [Clandonogh]  O'Dowd,  was  trea-  O'Dowd,    and   his    son,    were  killed   by 

cherously   slain    by   his    own    kinsmen,  Tadhg  Euadh,  the  son  of  Muircheartach 

namely,   Taichleach,  the  son  of  Cormac,  O'Dowd,  at  the  instigation  of  the  same 


119 

his  hospitality  and  valour ;  Taithleach^ ;  Aoclh,  of  Corran  ;  Loch- 
lainn ;  Brian  Cleireach,  and  Cormac.  Honora,  the  daughter  of  Rickin 
Barrett,  was  the  mother  of  all  these. 

Muircheartach,  the  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor,  had  a  large  family, 
namely,  Domhnall,  Cathal,  Conchobhar^  and  Cosnamhaigh,  whose 
mother  was  Dearbhail,  the  daughter  of  Flaithbheartach  O'Rourke ; 
and  Donnchadh^,  another  son  of  his,  whose  mother  was  Dearbhail, 
the  daughter  of  Tadhg  Mac  Donogh.  William  Mac  Muircheartaigh 
was  another  son  of  his. 

Brian,  the  son  of  Taithleach"  O'Dowd,  had  a  large  family,  namely, 
Domhnall  Cleireach',  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach ;  MaolruanaidliJ ;  Magh- 
nus  Cleireach".  Barrdubh,  the  daughter  of  Domhnall  O'Conor,  was 
their  mother.  His  other  sons  were  Diarmaid  and  Aodh,  whose 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  Roibin  Laighleis  [Robin  Lawless],  and 
Cosnamhaigh,  Niall,  Taithleach,  and  Brian  Og\  whose  mother  was 
Honora,  the  daughter  of  Mac  Wattin  Barrett. 

Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Brian,  had  one  son,  namely,  Taithleach, 
father  of  William  and  of  Brian. 

Aodh,  son  of  Brian,  had  good  sons,  namely,  Brian  and  Diarmaid 

(Meadhbh 

Donnchadh."  '  Domhnall  Clereach He  succeeded  his 

The  names  of  some  of  these  worthies  father  in  the  chieftainship  in  1354,  and 

are  not  to  be  found  in  the  pedigrees  ;  so  died  in  1380. 

that  copious  as  these  pedigrees  appear  to         J  Maolruanaidh He  and  his  wife,  the 

be,  they  are,  nevertheless,  clearly  imper-  daughter  of  Mac  Donogh,  of  Tirerrill,  died 

feet.  in  the  year  1362. 

^  Brian,  the  son  of  Taithleach This  is  ^  Maghnus  Cleireach  died  in  the  year 

the  celebrated  Sen  Bhrian,  who  died  in  1359. 

1354,  after  having  been  more  than  fifty         '  Brian  Og He  was  slain  by  the  Bar- 
years  chief  of  his  name.     After  completing  retts  in  the  year  1373.     No  notice  of  the 
the  genealogy  of  the  Clann  Donnchadha,  other  sons  of  Sen  Bhrian  is  preserved  in 
our  author  here  returns  to  that  of  the  the  Irish  Annals, 
chiefs. 


I2C 


in^ean  Dorhnaill  Puai6  Ui  TTlhmle  a  naaraip  ayiaon).  TTluipceap- 
cac,  Loclainn,  a-^uf  Uairleac  mec  ele  60.  O'n  Cocloinn  fin  acct 
fliocc  Cocluinn  6una  pinne,  a^up  occ  ^-ceacparhna  peajiuinn  d 
5-cuit)  t)iii6ce.  Qp  lat)  ay  oipbejica  t)o'n  r-pliocu  pin,  .i.  6pian, 
pe6liTYi,  Uilliam,  agup  Go^an,  mec  Puaibpig,  mic  Go^ain,  6  Chear- 
parhain  locdin. 

Oorhnall  Clepeac,  mac  bpian  Ui  Dhuboa,  clann  mop  lep,  .1. 
"Ruampi,  pi  Ua  b-piacpac,  Gojan,  TTla^nup,  TTlaoleacloinn,  pio^- 
barhna  Ua  b-piacpac,  Uab^  l?iabac  (pionn^iiala,  injean  Oomnuill 
PuaiD  Ui  TTlhaille,  mdcaip  na  mac  pom),  Seaan,  a^up  Oorhnall 
("Cearhaip,  injean  Ui  ITlhuip^eapa,  a  maraip),  Oonncao,  Oiapmait), 
Oorhnall,  a^u]^  Q06  (pionn^uala,  in^ean  TTla^nupa,  mic  Caruil 
Ui  Concabaip,  a  macaip).  TTIac  ele  60  Go^an  (m^ean  Ui  Cha- 
rdin  a  rharaip). 

"Cat)"^  l?iabac,  imoppo,  mec  maire  laip,  .1.  bpian,  Oonncab 
Ullcac  (Gut)oin,  in^ean  Oorhnaill,  mic  TTluipceaprai^  Ui  Chon- 
cabaip,  a  maraip);  Uab^  6ui6e,  Seaan,  (TTIaip^pe^,  ingean  Uilliam, 

mic 

™  Bunfinne,  i.  e.  moutli  of  the  Eiver 
Finn,  now  pronounced  Bun  /hinne,  and 
anglicised  Buninna.  It  is  the  name  of  a 
townland  in  the  parish  of  Drumard,  barony 
of  Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo.  On  an 
old  map  showing  part  of  the  coast  of  Done- 
gal, Leitrim,  and  Sligo,  preserved  in  the 
State  Paper  Office,  London,  a  castle  under 
the  name  of  "  Ca.  Bonin,"  is  noted  imme- 
diately to  the  north  of  Tonerigowe  [Ton- 
rego],  and  near  the  brink  of  Ballysadare 
bay,  in  the  parallel  of  Knocknaree.  In 
the  Down  Survey  this  townland  is  called 
Carrowcaslane  [i.  e.  Castle  quarter^,  alias 
Bonanne  ;  and  in  the  deed  of  partition  of 
0' Conor  Sligo's  estate,  dated  21st  July, 


1687,  it  is  called  Bonin. 

°^  Ceathramha  lochain,  i.  e.  the  quarter  of 
the  small  lake,  now  Carrowloughaun,  situ- 
ated on  the  coast  in  the  north  of  the  parish 
of  Screen, 

°  Ruaidhri,  i.  e.  Eory,  Eoderic,  or  Eoger. 
He  succeeded  his  father  in  the  year  1380, 
and  died  141 7,  at  which  year  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters  contain  the  following 
notice  of  his  death:  —  "A.  D.  141 7. 
O'Dowd  (Ruaidhri,  son  of  Domhnall,  son 
of  Brian,  son  of  Taichleach),  fountain  of 
the  prosperity  and  Avealth  of  Tireragh, 
died  in  his  own  house  after  the  festival  of 
St.  Bridget,  and  his  brother,  Tadhg  Riabh- 
ach,  assumed  his  place." 


121 

(Meadlibh,  the  daughter  of  Domlinall  Ruadh  O'Maille,  was  the  mother 
of  both).  Miiircheartach,  Lochlainn,  and  Taithleach  were  his  other 
sons.  From  this  Lochlainn  are  the  Shocht  Lochlainn  of  Bmi  Finne", 
whose  inheritance  consists  of  eight  quarters  of  land.  The  most  dis- 
tinguished of  this  sept  are  Brian,  Fedhhm,  William,  and  Eoghan,  the 
sons  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Eoghan  of  Ceathramha  lochain". 

Domhnall  Cleireach,  the  son  of  Brian  O'Dubhda,  had  a  large  family, 
namely,  Ruaidhri°,  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  Eoghan,  Maghnus,  Maoil- 
eachlainn,  heir  apparent  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  Tadhg  Riabhach^  (Fionn- 
ghuala,  the  daughter  of  Domhnall  Ruadh  O'Maille,  was  the  mother 
of  these  sons)  ;  John  and  Domhnall  (Teamhair,  the  daughter  of 
O'Muirgheasa,  was  their  mother)  ;  Donnchadh,  Diarmaid'',  Domhnall, 
and  Aodh  (Fionnghuala,  daughter  of  Maghnus,  son  of  Cathal  O'Conor, 
was  their  mother).  He  had  another  son,  Eoghan''  (the  daughter  of 
O'Cathain  was  his  mother). 

Tadhg  Riabhach  had  good  sons,  namely,  Brian,  Donnchadh 
Ulltach'  (Eudoin,  daughter  of  Domhnall,  son  of  Muircheartach 
O'Conor,   was   their   mother)  ;   Tadhg   Buidlie\   John    (Margaret, 

daughter 

P  Tadhg  Riabhach,  i.  e.  Teige,  Tliadgeus,  in  the  Library  of  the  Eoyal  Irish  Academy, 

or  Timothy  the  Swarthy — He  succeeded  that  the  Book  of  Lecan  was  compiled  in 

his  brother,   Euaidhri,  in  the  year  141 7,  the  time  of  this  chieftain, 

and  died  in  1432,  as  we  learn  from  the  ^  Diarmaid. — He  died  in  the  year  1439, 

following  notice  of  him  in  the  Annals  of  under  which  year  he  is  styled  in  the  An- 

the  Four  Masters: — "  A.D.  1432.  Tadhg,  nals  of  the  Four  Masters  "heir  apparent 

the  son  of  Domhnall,  who  was  the  son  of  to  the  chieftainship  of  Tireragh." 

Brian  O'Dowd,  lord  of  Tireragh,  a  man  "■  Eoghan. — He  was  slain  by  O'Donnell's 

who  had  restored  the  hereditary  proper-  cavalry  in  the  year  1420.    The  other  sons 

ties  in  his  territory  to  the  lawful  pro-  of  Domhnall  Cleireach  are  not  noticed  in 

prietors,  both  lay  and  ecclesiastical,  and  a  the  Annals. 

respecter  of  learned  men  and  poets,  died  *  Donnchadh  Ulltach,  i.  e.  Donogh,    or 

on  the  1 6th  of  January."     It  is  stated  in  Denis  the  Ultonian.    He  died  of  the  plague 

the  margin  of  the  autograph  original  of  which  raged  in  Ireland  in  the  year  1439. 

the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  preserved         ^  Tadhg  Buidhe He  was  chief  of  the 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  R 


122 


mic  Siji  Renninnn  a  bupc,  a  maraip).  TTlec  ele  60  Seaan  ele,  Niall, 
Dorhnall,  CX06,  a^up  Uairleac.  5^^  ^^V  ^^  clann  pin  if  ap  gab- 
lai^  uaca,  1  n-Qpt)  na  T^ia^,  in  6^51]!  QbanD,  1  m-baile  Ui  TTIhocaine, 
1  TTi-baile  an  Chmplen,  aguf  1  bon^popc  Ui  Ohuboa,  ni  rhaijiean 
neac  t)'d  pliocc  1  t)-Uf]i  piiiacpac. 

Ma  bailee  pearhpdice  Dno,  bailre  caiplen  pleacca  Uhaibs 
6hui6e,  mic  Uaibg  l?iabai^.  g^^^^  ^^  ro^aib  ba6b6un  an  long- 
puipc,  ace  beaba  an  Gic  bhnibe  00  rog  Sean  blipian.  Oonncab, 
mac  Uai65  "Riabai^,  t»o  ro^aib  baile  an  Cbaiylen.  6p5ip  Qbann 
t)o  cogbaD  lep  in  Qlbanac  TTlop,  oit)e  UaiD^  bhui6e,  mic  Uaibg 
Piabai^.     baile  Ui    TTlocuine   pop  cogbab    Uabg    Riabac   pen. 

baile 


O'Dowds  for  three  years,  and  was  slain 
by  his  own  cousins,  the  sons  of  his  uncle, 
Ruaidhri,  in  1443.  In  our  author's  smaller 
w^ork,  compiled  in  1666,  he  deduces  the 
descent  of  Captain  Dominic  Barrett  from 
this  Tadhg  Buidhe  O'Dowd,  as  follows  : — 
"  Captain  Dominic  Barrett,  son  of  John 
Roe  Barrett,  by  Elis,  daughter  of  Tadlig 
Eiabhach,  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe  (lialf 
brother  by  the  mother  of  Randal  Mor  Mac 
Donnell,  who  was  slain  in  the  battle  of 
Sruthair),  son  of  Cosnamhach,  of  Ardna- 
rea,  son  of  Maghnus,  son  of  Tadlig  Buidhe, 
&c."  And  he  adds,  "I  have  heard  that 
Tadhg  Eiabhach,  the  grandfather  of  Cap- 
tain Dominic,  obtained  possession,  and  re- 
ceived the  rents  of  Longphort  Ui  Dhubh- 
da,  in  Tireragh  ;  but  he  was  afterwards 
hanged  by  Domhnall  O'Conor,  at  Bel  an 
chlair,  in  Leyny,  O'Hara  Reagh's  coun- 
try." 

"  Ard  iia  riagh,  now  Ardnarea,  on  the 


east  side  of  the  River  Moy,  and  forming  a 
suburb  to  the  town  of  Ballina. 

'  Eisgir  abhann,  i.  e.  the  esker,  or  low 
ridge  at  or  near  the  river.  This  place  is 
mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  at  the  year  15 12,  when  the  castle 
was  besieged  and  taken  by  O'Donnell  from 
Ulick,  the  son  of  the  Lower  Mac  William 
Burke,  who  had  taken  it  from  the  lawful 
proprietor.  On  an  old  map  preserved  in 
the  State  Paper  Office,  London,  this  castle 
is  shown  on  the  east  side  of  Killala  bay, 
under  the  name  of  Uskarowen,  which  is  a 
tolerable  attempt  at  representing  the  Irish 
sound  in  English  letters,  but  Eskerowen 
would  be  more  correct.  That  this  is  the 
place  now  called  Iniscrone  wiU  be  proved 
in  the  notes  to  the  poem  of  Giolla  losa 
Mor  Mac  Firbis,  who  calls  it  by  the  strange 
name  of  Sais  Sgrebainn. 

^  Baile  Ui  Mochaine,  i.  e.  O'Moghany's 
town.     It  is  still  so  called  by  those  who 


123 

daugliter  of  William,  son  of  Sir  Redmond  Burke,  was  their  mother). 
His  other  sons  were  another  John,  Niall,  Domhnall,  Aodh,  and 
Taithleach.  Though  this  family,  and  those  who  branched  off  from 
them,  were  once  great  at  Ard  na  riagh",  Esgir  Abhann",  Baile  Ui 
Mhochaine'^,  Baile  an  Chaislen'',  and  Longphort  Ui  Dhubhda^,  not 
one  of  their  descendants  are  now  living  in  Tir  Fhiachrach  [Tzre- 
ragli\. 

The  aforesaid  towns  were  the  castle-towns  of  the  race  of  Tadho; 
Buidhe,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach.  It  was  the  English  that  erected 
all  the  bawn  of  the  Longphort  \Liongford\  except  Leabha  an  Eich 
Bhuidhe^  which  was  erected  by  Sen  Bhrian  \0'' Dowd\  Donnchadh, 
the  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  erected  Baile  an  chaislen  \Castletow7i\. 
Esgir  Abhann  was  erected  by  the  Albanach  Mor''  \Big  Scotchman], 
the  foster-father  of  Tadhg  Buidhe,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach.  Baile  Ui 
Mhochaine  [Bally mo ghany]  was  erected  by  Tadhg  Riabhach  himself 

Baile 


speak  Irish,  and  correctly  anglicised  Bal- 
lymogliany.  It  is  a  townland  in  the  parish 
of  Castleconor,  east  of  the  River  Moy,  in 
the  barony  of  Tireragh. 

^  Baile  o.n  chaislen,  i.  e.  the  town  of  the 
castle.  It  is  still  so  called  in  Irish,  and 
properly  translated  Castletown,  which  is 
the  name  adopted  on  all  modern  maps.  It 
is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Easkey,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  River  Easkey,  near  its 
mouth. — See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County 
of  Sligo,  sheet  1 1 . 

y  Longphort  Ui  Dhubhda,  now  Longford, 
in  the  parish  of  Dromard,  which  lies  on 
the  west  side  of  Ballysadare  Bay.  In  the 
reign  of  William  III.  the  castle  of  Long- 
ford successfully  resisted  two  attacks  of  a 


detachment  of  troops  under  Maj  or  Vaughan. 
In  the  demesne  of  Longford,  now  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Crofton  family,  are  the  ruins 
of  an  old  chapel  said  to  have  been  built  by 
the  O'Dowds. 

2  Leaba  an  eich  bhuidhe,  i.  e.  the  bed  of 
the  yellow  steed,  would  be  anglicised  Lab- 
banehwee,  and  was  undoubtedly  the  name 
of  some  building  attached  to  the  bawn  of 
the  castle  of  Longford,  but  the  Editor 
does  not  know  whether  this  name  is  still 
preserved. 

^  Albanach  Mor.  —  He  was  evidently 
Randal  Mor  Mac  Donnell,  mentioned  in 
Note  ^  and  who  was  slain,  in  the  year 
1570,  in  the  battle  of  Sruthair,  now  the 
village  of  Shruile,  in  the  county  of  Mayo. 


R2 


124 


baile  QijiD  na  Pia^  t)o  |iona6  le  ^a^^ui^-     t)o  cuiD  jionna  Uaib^ 
6ui6e  na  bailee  ym  lapani,  agup  lomat)  ele. 

"Cat)^  t»no  ap  lat)  a  rhec,  .i.  TTla^nup,  peblim,  Seaan  5W' 
Go^an,  Cto6,  Concabap,  a^up  Oonncab.  Uuicib  Seaan  5^ap, 
Go^an,  Concabap  agup  Oormcab  rap  ceann  a  n-t>iii6ce;  ceo 
TTla^nup  agup  peblim  i  n-ucc  Clomne  Uilliam  ;  ceo  Qob  ap  ^aol 
a  j^eanrhauap  50  h-Urhall  Ui  TTlhaille,  50  m-baoi  upi  pdice  ann,  a^ 
Denarh  ofbepge,  Do  cfp  a^up  t)o  rhuip,  ap  ]pliocc  Ruaiopi,  rhic 
Oorhnaill  Clepi^  ;  ^up  b'airpeac  lep  a  n-t)eapna  1  n-ai^ib  Oe, 
conab  aipe  pm,  a^up  upe  aiple  apaile  ancoipe  ipipi^,  cet)  1  5-clec 
^all,  t)o  lappaib  puairhnip,  a^up  cola  n-Oe ;  a^up  ap  ann  t)o  ding 
cpi  rhile  alia  anoip  00  Dhpoiceac  Qra,  baile  i  pugao  mac  Do  D'dp 

b'ainm 


'^  Droichead  Atka,  i.  e,  the  bridge  of  the 
ford,  now  Drogheda.  The  truth  of  this 
account  of  the  flight  of  Aodh  or  Hugh, 
the  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe,  is  proved  by 
two  affidavits,  which  he  himself  caused  to 
be  enrolled  in  Dublin  in  the  year  1452, 
that  is,  eight  years  after  the  killing  of  his 
father  by  the  sept  of  Ruaidhri.  These 
affidavits  are  in  Latin,  and  preserved  on  a 
Plea  Roll,  No.  406,  preserved  in  the  Ber- 
mingham  Tower,  Dublin,  a°.  36.  Hen.  VI. 
1458,  and  the  following  translated  extracts 
from  them  will  not  be  out  of  place  here, 
as  confirming  our  author's  account  of  the 
flight  of  this  individual  : 

"A.  D.  1452 — Hugh  O'Dowde,  of  Sta- 
ling, gentleman,  required  the  following 
depositions,  taken  before  Nicholas  Younge, 
Notary,  in  the  Taverner's  Street,  Dublin, 
to  be  enrolled. 

"  In  Dei  nomine,  Amen.  Remond  Burke, 


of  Iniscoe,  in  Connaught,  gentleman,  being 
required  by  Hugh  O'Dowda,  son  of  Teige, 
to  declare  the  truth,  and  examined  on 
oath  says, — that  he  knows  the  said  Hugh  ; 
that  the  sept  of  Roger,  son  of  Donell 
O'Dowda,  three  years  since  slew  the  bro- 
thers of  the  said  Hugh,  and  expelled  him- 
self by  force  from  his  towns  and  lands  in 
Tireragh,  in  Connaught,  left  to  the  said 
Hugh  and  his  brothers  by  their  father 
Teige ;  that  there  were  fifty-eight  quarters 
of  land  ;  that  when  the  deponent  came  to 
Dublin  he  inquired  from  the  said  Hugh 
why  he  was  in  Dublin,  and  if  he  was  mar- 
ried ;  Hugh  answered  that  he  was  glad  to 
see  him  ;  that  he  (Hugh)  came  to  Dublin 
to  see  if  he  could  meet  with  any  of  his 
friends ;  that  he  dwelt  at  Staling ;  that 
he  was  married  there,  and  had  a  son  Hugh. 
Deponent  asked  him  did  he  wish  to  return 
to   Connaught  ?  to  which   he   answered. 


125 

Baile  Aird  na  riagh  \_Ardnarea]  was  built  by  the  English.  These 
towns,  and  many  others,  were  on  the  territorial  division  of  Tadhg 
Buidhe. 

This  Tadhg  had  these  sons,  following,  viz.,  Maghnus,  Fedhlim, 
John  Glas,  Eoglian,  Aodh,  Conchobhar,  and  Donnchadh.  John 
Glas,  Eoghan,  Conchobhar,  and  Donnchadh  fell  in  defending  their 
native  territory.  Maghnus  and  Fedhlim  went  to  the  Clann- William 
[Burkes]  ;  and  Aodh,  from  the  relationship  of  his  grandmother  to  the 
family  of  O'Maille,  repaired  to  Umhall  Ui  Mhaille,  and  remained 
there  for  three  quarters  of  a  year,  committing  vengeful  aggressions  by 
land  and  sea  upon  the  race  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Domhnall  Cleireach, 
until  at  length  it  repented  him  of  what  he  had  committed  against 
God ;  for  which  reason,  and  by  the  advice  of  a  certain  pious  ancho- 
rite, he  betook  himself  to  the  protection  of  the  English,  to  seek  repose 
and  the  will  of  God ;  and  where  he  dwelt  was  at  a  place  three  miles 
to  the  east  of  Droichead  Atha*,  wliere  a  son  was  born  to  him  whose 

name 


that  his  posterity  might ;  but  for  himself  Tireragh.  That  the  deponent  received 
that  if  he  got  the  whole  of  Tireragh,  he  for  three  years  the  rents  of  the  lands  of 
would  not  think  his  life  safe,  and  would  the  said  Teige,  and  knows  that  the  said 
not  live  there  ;  that  the  said  Hugh  asked  Teige  was  seized  before  his  death  of  the 
the  deponent  to  attend  before  a  notary  following  lands,  which  he  divided  among 
and  testify  the  truth,  which  he  has  now  his  sons,  viz.,  the  towns  and  lands  of  Ard- 
done  accordingly."  naree,  Clounte,  Choillin,  Clovinslegan, 
"John  O'Cleri,  of  Lacan,  in  Connaught,  Eagibock,  Scurmore,  Urlare,  Caraghmore, 
gentleman,  aged  sixty  years,  sworn,  says  Bellacastlan,  Boreagh,  Castlanlaragh, 
that  he  was  born  in  Tireragh  ;  that  he  Cnocan-Mac-Murtagh-Eiogh,  Tobber bo- 
knew  the  said  Hugh,  the  son  of  Teige ;  nac,  Mulliroo,  Choillin,  Floughmoioin, 
and  that  the  sept  of  Roger,  the  son  of  Ballaluiog,  Lisnarge,  &c.  That  the  said 
Donell  O'Dowda,  through  envy  and  ava-  Teige  died  in  the  peaceable  possession  of 
rice,  slew  the  brothers  of  the  said  Hugh  all  the  said  lands,  and  that  the  said  Hugh 
in  defence  of  their  possessions,  and  expelled  is  the  right  heir  of  all  and  singular  the 
he  said  Hugh  out  of  all  his  possessions  in  same." 


126 


b'airiTTi  QoD  O5.  <C]ii  blia6na  lajiann  acbar  Q06  m6|i,  ajiif  pdj- 
bai]^  a  rhac  05  f^oloi^  y^aibbiji  t)o  rhuinncip  Cuinn,  t)oneoc  pop  ail 
50  h-6m]\ac,  a^u]-'  cuj  a  bepbpfup  maji  rhnaoi  t)o,  50  pu^  p  rpi  mec 
60,  .1.  Seon,  UoTTiaf,  agup  hanpaoi,  agup  clann  injean.  lap  n-eg 
na  TYind  pin,  ru^  pe  in^ean  an  bhailipi^  6'n  SeanOpoiceacr,  a^np 
pu5  pi  TYiac  t)o,  .1.  Seoippi,  araip  UiUiain,  ^Inolla  piiaDpai^,  Sheom, 
6ut)baipD,  Uhomaip,  PipoepD,  a^up  Ppainpa,  cona6  lat)  pin  cpaoba 
coibneapa  Ua  n-DubDa  pilio  in  Qch  cliar  Ouiblinne. 

Qcd  umoppo,  ap  ^nducuirhne  coiccmn,  a^up  p^piobra  1  leab- 
paib  Cloinne  phipbipi^,  ^up  ob  Oo  lb  Dubba  an  Ouboalac  co  n-a 
^ablaib  ^aoil,  a^up  ^up  ob  ann  Oea^lumpe  Uip  piacpac  1  n-ainipip 
TYiapbra  Uailuig  ITIuame  Ui  Dubt)a  pe  ^allaib,  Qnno  Oomini 
[1282]  ;  Slip  ^aipimiob  Dubt^dlui^  Diob  a^  galluib,  map  inipiop  a 
pDaip  pen,  bub  emilc  pe  a  h-aipnep  punna. 

Ooitinall 


^  Bhailiseach — It  is  doubtful  whether 
our  author  intended  this  to  represent  the 
name  "Walsh  or  Wellesley  ?  Both  families 
were  in  this  district.  The  Editor  knows 
several  of  the  name  Do  Bhailisi  in  the  county 
of  Kilkenny,  where  it  is  always  anglicised 
Wallace ;  but  this  is  probably  not  the  true 
form,  as  in  the  Irish  the  preposition  Do, 
which  indicates  a  Norman  origin,  is  always 
prefixed.  The  family  name  Do  Bhailisi, 
which,  if  analogically  rendered,  would 
make  in  English  De  Wallisi,  also  assumes 
the  form  Bhailiseach,  to  denote  one  of  the 
family.  In  Kilkenny  the  family  name 
"Walsh  is  called  in  Irish  Breathnach,  i.  e. 
Britannus,  never  Bhailis,  and  is  considered 
to  be  a  totally  different  name  from  Do  Bhai- 
lisi ;  biit  our  author,  in  his  pedigree  of  the 
family  of  Walsh,  p.  839,  writes  the  name 
both  Bhailis  and  Breathnach  ;  so  that  he 


may  probably  have  intended  to  express  by 
Injean  an  6hailipij  o'n  Seanopoich- 
eacc,  the  daughter  of  Walsh  of  Old  Bridge. 
But  this  is  far  from  being  certain, 

'^  John It  appears  from  a  Chancery 

Decree  preserved  in  the  Rolls  Office,  Dub- 
lin, dated  2nd  May,  1557,  that  "John 
Dowde,  of  Stalinge,  as  administrator  of 
his  father,  Hugh  Dowde,  complained 
agaynste  one  Peter  Eussell,  of  the  Shep- 
house,  husbandman,  who  married  Joan 
Dowde,  daughter  of  the  said  Hugh,  and 
who  got  Avith  her  in  marriage  from  the 
said  Hughe,  one-third  of  the  land  of  Sta- 
linge, called  Baggots  fearme." 

^  Who  are  now  inAth  Cliath Some  of  the 

O'DoAvds,  of  Stalinge,  on  the  Boyne,  near 
Drogheda,  afterwards  removed  to  Dublin, 
where  they  became  very  wealthy.  On  the 
Patent  Eoll  of  the  fifteenth  year  of  King 


127 


name  was  Aodli  Og.     Three  »years  after  this  Aoclh  Mor  died,  and  left 

his  son  with  a  rich  farmer  of  the  family  of  O'Quin,  who  reared  him 

honourably,  and  gave  him  his  sister  in  marriage,  and  she  brought 

forth  for  him  three  sons,  namely,  John,  Thomas,  and  Henry,  besides 

daughters.     After  the  death  of  this  wife  he  married  the  daughter  of 

Bhahseach''  of  Oldbridge,  and  she  brought  forth  a  son  for  him,  namely, 

George,  the  father  of  William,  Giolla-Patrick,  John^  Edward,  Thomas, 

Richard,  and  Francis.     These  are  the  genealogical  ramifications  of  the 

family  o/'0'Dubhda,who  are  now  inAthCliath'*  Duibhlinne  [Dublin]. 

It  is  the  general  tradition,  and  it  is  written  in  the  Books  of  the 

ClannFirbis,that  Dowdall,  with  his  correlative  kindred,  is  of  the  family 

of  O'Dubhda,  and  that  the  period  at  which  he  left  Tir  Fiachrach  was 

the  time  of  the  kilhng  of  Taithleach  of  the  Moy  O'Dubhda,  by  the 

Enghsh,  Anno  Domini  [1282]  ;   so  that  they  were  called  Dowdalls 

by  the  English,  as  their  own  history  relates^  which  would  be  tedious 

to  be  given  here. 

Domhnall 

the  tide  of  tlie  waters  of  Gadcon,  otherwise 
Killcomayne,  from  the  main  sea  to  Far- 
sindvinegemine,  in  the  county  of  Mayo. 
In  the  will  of  Lysagh  O'Connor  (Faly), 
Esq.,  dated  5th  September,  1626,  this  al- 
derman John  Dowde,  of  the  city  of  Dub- 
lin, is  also  mentioned ;  and  the  testator, 
who  was  a  gentleman  of  high  rank  in  the 
country,  appoints  him  one  of  the  overseers 
of  his  will,  and  bequeaths  to  him  "  my 
blacke  Phillippe  and  cheney  cloake  lyned 
with  bayse."  This  wUl,  which  is  a  very 
curioxis  document,  is  preserved  in  the 
Prerogative  Court,  Dublin, 

^  Their  own  history  relates This  shows 

that  our  author  had  seen  a  history  of  the 
Dowdalls,  which  traced  them  to  an  Irish 


James  the  First,  are  two  deeds  relating  to 
the  O'Dowds  of  Dublin,  one  dated  8th 
June,  1 614,  whereby  Nicholas  Weston,  of 
Dublin  city,  grants  to  Francis  Dowde  and 
Charles  Dowde,  of  Dublin  city,  merchants, 
the  pools  of  Lanagh  and  Bealagaly,  in  the 
Eiver  Gradcon,  otherwise  Kilcomon,  in  the 
county  of  Mayo. 

The  other  is  dated  30th  June,  161 2, 
whereby  Sir  Richard  Nugent,  Baron  of 
Delvin,  granted  to  John  Dowde,  of  Dub- 
lin city,  alderman,  the  fishing  of  Rabran 
river  from  the  sea  to  Ballanefanny  ;  the 
fishings  of  salmon  and  other  fish  within  the 
flow  and  ebb  of  the  tide  in  the  river  or  bay 
of  Bonitrahan,  and  the  fishings  of  salmon 
and  other  fish  within  the  flow  and  ebb  of 


I2« 

Oomnall  O5,  mac  Dorhnaill  Clepi^,  clann  lef,  .1.  I?uai6|n, 
Oiapmuit),  a^up  Gumonn. 

I?uai6]ii,  TTiac  Oorhnaill  Clepi^,  clann  laif,  .i.  maolpuanai6, 
Concabayi,  Tna^niiy  Clejieac  (Gileo^,  in^ean  Sheaain  TTIliic  ^^T' 
t)elb,  a  mdraip),  imui|iceajicac,  Go^an,  agup  Uilliam  (Qnabia, 
mgean  Sip  Peunfiumn  a  biipc,  a  mdcaip). 

Copnarhai^,  imac  bpiain,  mic  Uaitli^  Ui  Ouboa,  clann  ley,  .1. 
bpian,  Q06,  TTluipceapcac,  Seaan,  a^up  Gmonn. 

"ITlaolpuanaiD  mac  "RuaiDpi^,  clann  laip,  .1.  OiapmaiD,  Doninall 
ballac,  TTIaoileacloinn,  agup  TTluipceaprac  Caoc,  oiobai^,  agup 
TTIaoileacloinn. 

Gojan,  peapaboc,  l?uai6pi,  Copmac  bparaip,  Caral  Oub, 
Oari,  Seaan  '^lay,  a^iip  bpian,  mec  Concabaip,  mic  OiapmaDa, 
imc  TTlaoilpuanaiD. 

peapabac  mac  laip,  .i.  Dorhnall,  acaip  Go^am,  t^fobai^. 

Puai6pi  mac  Concabaip,  mac  laip,  .1.  Diapmuio,  araip  l?uai6pi, 
peapaboij;,  Oorhnaill,  Concabaip,  Sheaam  ^hlaip. 

Dari,  mac  Concabaip,  clann    laip,   .1.  peapabac,  Oonncaca, 

Cacaoip,  Copmac,  piacpa,  a^up  Qrhalgaib  Oaile. 

Seaan 

orio-in.  The  general  opinion  is,  that  the  O'Dowd  race,  is  not  to  be  rejected  without 
Dowdalls,  who  were  a  very  distinguished  the  most  direct  evidence  to  prove  the  con- 
family  in  the  county  of  Louth  in  the  four-  trary. 

teenth  and  fifteenth  centuries,  are  one  of  f  Maolruanaidh. — He  became  chief  of 
the  old  Anglo-Norman  families  of  the  the  O'Dowds  in  the  year  1432,  and  en- 
pale ;  but  the  name  is  not  found  in  any  joyed  that  dignity  for  eighteen  years,  ac- 
of  the  lists  of  the  chieftains  who  came  over  cording  to  our  author  in  his  Brief  Annals 
with  Strongbow,  or  any  of  the  subsequent  of  the  O'Dowd  family. 
English  leaders,  nor  is  there  any  mention  ^  William — The  death  of  "William,  son 
of  them  in  the  Anglo-Irish  records  as  of  Euaidhri  O'Dowd,  is  entered  in  the  An- 
early  as  the  period  of  the  killing  of  Taith-  nals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year  1438. 
leach  Muaidhe  O'Dowd  (1282);  so  that  ^  Brian — He  Avas  chief  of  the  O'Dowds 
our  author's  assertion,  that  they  are  of  the  for.  two  years. 


129 

Domlinall  Og,  son  of  Domhnall  Cleireacli,  had  issue,  namely, 
Euaidliri,  Diarmaid,  and  Edmond. 

Ruaidhri,  son  of  Domlinall  Cleireacli,  had  issue,  namely,  Maol- 
ruanaidli^,  Conchobhar,  Maghnus  Cleireacli  (Eileog,  daughter  of 
John  Mac  Costello,  was  their  mother),  Muircheartach,  Eoglian,  and 
William^,  (Anabla,  daughter  of  Sir  Redmond  Burke,  was  their 
mother). 

Cosnamhaigh,  son  of  Brian,  son  of  Taithleach  O'Dowd,  had  issue, 
namely,  Brian^,  Aodh,  Muircheartach,  John,  and  Edmond'. 

Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Ruaidhri,  had  issue,  namely,  Diarmaid, 
Domhnall  Ballach^  Maoileachlainn,  and  Muircheartach  Caoch,  who, 
died  without  issue ;  and  a  second,  Maoileachlainn. 

Eoghan",  Fearadhach,  Ruaidhri,  Cormac  the  friar,  Cathal  Dubh', 
Dathi,  John  Glas,  and  Brian,  were  the  sons  of  Conchobhar,  son  of 
Diarmaid,  son  of  Maolruanaidh. 

Fearadhach  had  a  son  Domhnall,  father  of  Eoglian  who  died 
issueless. 

Ruaidhri,  son  of  Conchobhar,  had  a  son  Diarmaid,  the  father  of 
Ruaidhri,  Fearadhach,  Domhnall,  Conchobhar,  and  John  Glas. 

Dathi,  son  of  Conchobhar,  had  issue,  namely,  Fearadhach,  Donn- 
catha,  Cathaoir,  Cormac,  Fiachra,  and  Amhalgaidh  of  the  River 
Daoil. 

John 

i  Edmond.  —  He  was  cliief  of  the  name  -wife,  the  daughter  of  Walter  Burke,  -was 

for  half  a  year  and  five  weeks.  taken  prisoner  by  O'Donnell. 

J  Domhnall  Ballach. — He  succeeded  Ed-         '  Cathal  Duhh,  i.  e.  Cahill,   or  Charles 

mend,  son  of  Cosnamhach,  and  was  the  the   Black.      He   succeeded   his   brother 

chief  O'Dowd  for  one  year.  Eoghan  as  chief  of  the  O'Dowds,  but  the 

^Eoghan. — He  was  chief  of  the  O'Dowds,  length  of  his  reign  is  not  mentioned  by 

according  to  our  author,  for  seven  years,  our  author  in  his   short  Annals    of  the 

and  is  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the  O'Dowd  family. 
Four  Masters  at  the  year  1536,  when  his 

IKISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  S 


13° 

Seaan  '^lay,  niac  Concabai|i,  t»d  rhac  ley^,  .i.  Cojimac  a^uf 
bpian. 

Gogaii,  mac  Concabaip,  clann  lep,  .1.  "Caty^  T?iabac,  Gumonn, 
Ceallac,  agup  Concabap,  araip  Uaibg  TJiabai^,  acap  Go^ain  agup 
GuTnoinn. 

Ua65  "Riabac,  -mac  Go^ain,  clann  laif,  .i.  Ddui,  Uab^  6ui6e, 
peapaboc  (araip  Chauail  Duib,  bparap),  Dorhnall,  maolpuanam, 
Diobai^,  Go^an,  a^up  Seaan  O5,  acaip  Uhamg  Riabaig  agup 
Donncaib. 

[Oaci  O5  Ua  Ouboa,  rhaipeap  anoip,  1666, 


mac  Semuip, 

nnic  Oaci, 

niic  Oaci, 

mic  UaiDg  Riabaig, 

rnic  Gojain  1  Ouboa, 

nnic  Concabaip, 

nmc  Oiapniaoa, 

rmc  TTlaoilpuanam, 

mic  T?uai6pi5  1  Ouboa, 

TYiic  Oorhnaill  Clepi^  1  Ouboa, 

TTiic  Sen-bhpiain  1  Ouboa, 

TTiic  Uairli^  TTluaioe, 

mic  TTIaoilpuanaiO, 

mic  OonncaiO, 


mic  Qo6a, 

TTUC  Uaicli^, 

mic  Qo6a, 

mic  rnuipceapcai^, 

mic  Qoba, 

mic  Uairli^, 

mic  Nell, 

mic  niaoileaclomn, 

mic  TTIaoilpuanaiO, 

mic  Qoba, 

mic  Ceallai^, 

mic  Ouboa,  a  quo  an  pine, 

mic  Connmui^, 

mic  Ouinncaca, 


mic 


™  Tadkff  Riabkach. — He  died,  according  and  was  slain  in  the  year  1594.  His  death 

to  the  Four  Masters,  in  the  year  1580,  but  is  thus  entered  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 

they  give  his  pedigree  wrong,  thus:  "Tadhg  Masters  : — "A.  D.  1594,  O'Dowd,  of  Tir- 

Riabhach,  son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Concho-  eragh,  Dathi,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  son 

bhar,  son  of  Teige."     The  last  generation  of  Eoghan,  was  slain  by  one  of  the  queen's 

should  be  Diarmaid.  soldiers  in  one  of  his  own  castles,  in  Tire- 

n  Dathi. — He  became  chief  of  the  name,  ragh,  on  the  Moy." 


131 


John  Glas,  son  of  Conchobhar,  had  two  sons,  namely,  Cormac 
and  Brian. 

Eoghan,  son  of  Conchobhar,  had  issue,  Tadhg  Eiabhach"",  Edmond, 
Ceallach,  and  Conchobhar,  the  father  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  who  was 
the  father  of  Eoghan  and  Edmond. 

Tadhg  Riabhach,  the  son  of  Eoghan,  had  issue,  namely,  Dathi", 
Tadhg  Buidhe°,  Fearadhach  (father  of  Cathal  Dubh,  a  friar), 
Domhnall,  Maolruanaidh,  who  died  without  issue,  Eoghan,  and  John 
Og,  father  of  Tadhg  Riabhach  and  Donnchadh. 

[Dathi  Og^  O'Dubhda,  now  living,  1666, 


son  of  James, 

son  of  Dathi, 

son  of  Dathi, 

son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach, 

son  of  Eoghan,  i.  e.  the  O'Dubhda, 

son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Maolruanaidh, 

son  of  Ruaidliri,  i.  e.  the  O'Dubhda, 

son  of  Domhnall  Clereach,  i.  e. 

the  O'Dubhda, 
son  of  Sen  Brian,  i.  e.  the  O'Dubhda, 
son  of  Taithleach  of  the  Moy, 
son  of  Maolruanaidh, 
son  of  Donnchadh, 
son  of  Aodh, 


son  of  Taithleach, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Taithleach, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Muirchertach, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Taithleach, 

son  of  Niall, 

son  of  Maoileachlainn, 

son  of  Maolruanaidh, 

son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Ceallach, 

son  of  Dubhda,  from  whom  the 

tribe, 
son  of  Connmhach, 
son  of  Donncatha, 

son 


°  Tadhg  Buidhe.  —  He  was  set  up  as  brackets,  is  given  from  our  author's  smaller 
chief  of  the  O'Dowds  by  O'Donnell  in  the  compilation,  made  in  1 666. — See  this  pedi- 
year  1595,  as  stated  by  the  Four  Masters,     gree  carried  down  to  the  present  day  in 

P  Dathi  Og. — This  pedigree,  enclosed  in     the  Addenda  to  this  volume. 

S2 


132 

^    .    1  mic  Piacpac  Gal^ai^, 

r^^^^^^  •  TTiic  Oan,  pi^  epeann, 

TTiic  OiLeLLa,  . 

■^       1    ^„  -mic  Piacpac, 
^.c  Ounchaoa,  r  ^ .  l^^    TYlui5niea6oi.,   pi^ 

imc  Ciobpaioe,  " 
n.,c  TTlaoilouin,  .1.  TYlaoloub,  epeann]. 

Uaiiam  O5,  Cpiopooip,  Oaa,  asup  Pictcpo^ 

TTiec  UilliaTTi,  o 

inic  Dan, 

TTlaolpuanai^,  a^up  'CaXy^  bume,  bparaip, 
TTiec  'Ca:ty^  bui6e,  .i.  mac  T^aiD^  Piabai^. 

Ca65  Piabad,  peapboc,  agup  Puaibpi, 
rnec  Ooriinaill,  ^^^^  ^^5«in. 

rrnc  "Cams  Piabai^, 

Oomnall  bpacaip,  a^up  eumonn, 

o    •  TTiic  Gotain. 

inec  eo^am,  ^ 

TTiic  "Caib^  Riabai^, 

Caral  Oub,  .1.  0'0ubt)a, 
^  mic  Concabaip. 

TTiic  Go^am, 

Ceallac, 

,  TTiic  eorain, 
TTiac  bpiain,  ^     •   u 

mic  Ceallais,  ^^^  Concabaip. 

60R5  RUaiDhRl,  miC  COHCbabbQlR. 

■Ruai6pi,  . 

^  mic  Oiapmaoa, 

mac  L>aci,  _        1  u. 

TTiic  TYlamlpuanam, 
mic  Ruaiopi, 

n^rtTiTYiana  ^ic  PuaiDpi, 

n.ic  Oiapmaoa,  ^^^^^^^  ^^^^^ .  ^ 

mic  RuaiDpi, 
mic  Concabaip, 


133 

son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Fiaclira  Ealgach, 

son  of  OilioU,  son  of  Dathi,  King  of  Ireland, 

son  of  Dunchadh,  son  of  Fiachra, 

son  of  Tiobraide,  sonofEochaidliMuiglimlieadhoin, 

son  of  Maolduin,  i.  e.  Maoldubh,  King  of  Ireland]. 

William  Og,  Christopher,  Dathi,  and  Fiachra,  are  the 
sons  of  Wilham,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  &c. 

son  of  Dathi, 

Maolruanaidh  and  Tadhg  Buidhe,  a  friar, 
sons  of  Tadhg  Buidhe,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  &c. 

Tadhg  Riabhach,  Fearadhach,  and  Ruaidhri, 
sons  of  Domhnall,  son  of  Eoghan. 

son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach, 

Domhnall,  a  friar,  and  Edmond, 
sons  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Eoghan. 

son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach, 

Cathal  Dubh,  i.  e.  the  O'Dubhda, 
son  of  Edmond,  son  of  Conchobhar. 

son  of  Eoghan, 

Ceallach, 
son  of  Brian,  son  of  Eoghan, 

son  of  Ceallach,  son  of  Conchobhar. 

THE  EACE  OF  RUAIDHRI,  SON  OF  CONCHOBHAR. 

Ruaidhri, 

son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Maolruanaidh, 

son  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Ruaidhri, 

son  of  Ruaidhri,  son  of  Domhnall  Clereach. 
son  of  Conchobhar, 

Brian, 


134 

bpian, 
mac  Cacaoiji,  iriic  l?uai6pi, 

TTiic  peapabaij,  mic  Coricabaip. 

niic  DiapmaDa, 

Dorhnall  O5,  a^uy^  Go^an,  Da 
rhac  Oorhnaill  1  Dhuboa,  mic  Ruaibpi^, 

TTiic  OiapmaDa,  mic  Concabaip. 

coiR'^  sheaaiN  ^hcais,  mic  coNciia6haiR. 

Seaan  J^'^F'  ^ctri,  DiapmuiD  (acaip  Uaibg),  TTlaoleacloinn 
Caoc,  Go^an,  Seplup  (araip  phaDpai^  a^up  Dhonncaib  bparap), 
piacpa  (araip  'ChoTnaip),  Seon  (araip  Diapmaoa), 
TTiec  bpiain,  mic  Concabaip, 

mic  Seaain  ^^^T'  ^^^  Diapmaoa. 

bpian,  Go^an, 
mec  Seaain  ^hlaip,  mic  Seaain  ^hlaip. 

mic  bpiain, 

Copmac,  Gogan,  ajup  Dorhnall  O5, 
mec  Domnuill,  mic  Seaain  ^hlaip, 

mic  Copmaic,  mic  Conbabaip. 

O  t)hUN  \Aecc. 

Uilliam  O5,  Go^an  Cappac,  00  mapbaD  1  5-Cnoc  na  n-op,  a5up 

Dorhnall  ballac,  cpi 

mec  pe6lim,  mic  Uilliam  O15, 

mic  Gmumn  buibe,  mic  Dorhnaill  bhallai^, 

mic 

^  Dun  Neill,   i.  e.  the  dun  or  fort  of  ragh,  and  county  of  Sligo. 

Niall,  now  Duneal  or  Dunneill,  otherwise  ^  Cnoc  na  n-os,  i.  e.  hill  of  the  fawns. 

called  Castlequarter,  a  townland  in  the  There  is  a  well  known  hill  of  the  name  near 

parish  of  Kilmacshalgan,  barony  of  Tire-  Buttevant,  in  the  county  of  Cork,  where 


^35 

Brian, 
son  of  Catliaoir,  son  of  Ruaidhri, 

son  of  Fearadhach,  son  of  Conchobhar. 

son  of  Diarmaid, 

Domhnall  Og  and  Eoghan,  two 
sons  of  Domhnall,   i.   e.   the  son  of  Ruaidhri, 

O'Dubhda,  son  of  Conchobhar. 

son  of  Diarmaid, 

THE  KACE  OF  JOHN  GLAS,  SON  OF  CONCHOBHAR. 

John  Glas,  Dathi,  Diarmaid  (the  father  of  Tadhg) ;  Maoileach- 
lainn  Caoch,  Eoghan,  Charles  (father  of  Patrick,  and  of  Donnchadh  a 
friar) ;  Fiachra  (father  of  Thomas)  ;  and  John  (father  of  Diarmaid), 
were 

sons  of  Brian,  son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  John  Glas,  son  of  Diarmaid. 

Brian  and  Eoghan, 
sons  of  John  Glas,  son  of  John  Glas. 

son  of  Brian, 

Cormac,  Eoghan,  and  Domhnall  Og, 
sons  of  Domhnall,  son  of  John  Glas, 

son  of  Cormac,  son  of  Conchobhar. 

OF  DUN  neill''. 

Wilham  Og,  Eoghan  Carrach,  who  was  slain  at  Cnoc  na  n-os', 
and  Domhnall  Ballach,  three 

sons  of  Fedhlim,  son  of  WilHam  Og, 

son  of  Edmond  Buidhe,  son  of  Domhnall  Ballach, 

son 

the  celebrated  Alexander  Mac  Donnell  was     here  referred  to  it  is  difficult  at  present  to 
slain  in  1647,  ^^^  whether  it  is  the  place     decide. 


136 


mic  rnaoil|iuanai6, 
TTiic  Ruaibjii^, 

Calbac, 
mac  Uilliani  Chaoic, 
mic  an  Chalbaij;, 
mic  UaiDg, 
TTiic  bpiain, 


mic  Oorhnaill  Clepi^. 


rmc  t)ia]iTYiat)a, 
mic  TTlaoilpuanaiD, 
mic  I?uai6pi5, 
TTiic  Oorhnuill  Clepij. 


sciocbr  QN  chosMamhai^h  awN  so. 

Ruaibjii,  Uilliam  6allac,  a-^uy  pelim, 
TTiec  an  Chopnarhai^,  nrnc  C[o6a, 

nnic  Seaam,  mic  an  Chopnamai^, 

mic  pelim,  mic  Sen-61i|nain. 


ccawN  uaich^i^h  qnn  so. 


Cope,  Uaicleac,  a^up  Seaan,  cpi 


mec  I?uai6pi5, 

mic  Concabaip, 

mic  Uairli^  O15, 

mic    TTluipceapcai^   na    puinn- 

eoi^e, 
mic  Uaiuli^, 
mic  QoDa  Qlamn, ' 

TTluipceapcac  Le^inn, 
mac  TTlaoilpuanaib, 
mic  Concabaip  Oliepij, 
inic  Qooa  Qlamn, 
mic  rnaoileacloinn, 


mic  TTlaoileacloinn, 

mic  bpiain  Oepj, 

mic    Qo6a,    ag    a    5-corhpaiciD 

a^up  an  piojpuiD, 
mic  Nell, 
mic  rnaoileacloinn. 


mic  bpiain  Oep^,  t)obairea6  ap 
plijiD  na  l?6ma,  cap  ep  a 
oilicpe. 


TTlipDel, 


^?>7 


son  of  Maolruanaidh, 
son  of  Ruaidhri, 

Calbhach, 
son  of  William  Caoch, 
son  of  Calbhach, 
son  of  Tadhg, 
son  of  Brian, 


son  of  Domhnall  Clereach. 


son  of  Diarmaid, 

son  of  Maolruanaidh, 

son  of  Ruaidhri, 

son  of  Domhnall  Clereach. 


THE  RACE  OF  COSNAMHACH  HERE. 

Ruaidhri,  William  Ballach,  and  Felim, 
sons  of  Cosnamhach,  son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  John,  son  of  Cosnamhach, 

son  of  Fehm,  son  of  Sen  Brian. 


THE  CLANN  TAITHLIGH  HERE. 


Core,  Taithleach,  and  John,  three 


sons  of  Ruaidhri, 

son  of  Conchobhar, 

son  of  Taithleach  Og, 

son  of  Muircheartach  na  Fuineoige, 

son  of  Taithleach, 

son  of  Aodh  Alainn, 

Muircheartach  Leghinn, 
son  of  Maolruanaidh, 
son  of  Conchobhar  Deseach, 
son  of  Aodh  Alainn, 
son  of  Maoileachlainn, 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  ''■ 


son  of  Maoileachlainn, 

son  of  Brian  Dearg, 

son  of  Aodh,  in  whom  they  and 

the  chiefs  meet, 
son  of  Niall, 
son  of  Maoileachlainn. 


son  of  Brian  Dearg,  who  was 
drowned  on  his  way  from  Rome 
after  his  pilgrimage. 

Misdel 


TTlipDel,  a  quo  clann  TTlipDel,  agup  TTlec  pinn   Uf  Duboa,  co 
Ti-a  ^-corhpoigyib, 

iTiac  rnaoil|iuanui6,  inic  Qoba  Qlainn. 

mic  Concabaip  Dliepi^, 

Oorhnall,  P|iioi]i  6ac]ioi]p, 
mac  Uaib^,  mic    TTlinjiceaiirai^    na    puinn- 

mic  Dorhnuill,  eoi^e. 

nnc  Qoba, 

C(o6  l?ua6,  OiapmuiD,  a^up  Uaicleach,  rjn 
mec  Concabmp,  rrnc  Qoba, 

mic  Uaicli^,  TYiic  Uairlig, 

TTHc  Concabaiji  Conallai^,  mic  Qoba, 

rrnc  Uaicli^,  nnic  TTIuipceapcai^. 

iTiic  Oonncaib  TTHioip, 

Uomap,  a^up  TTlaoileacloinn  TTlop, 
mec  Qoba,  imc  Concabaip  Conallui^. 

l?uaibpi  TTlop, 
mic  Uaicli^,  Tnic  Concabaip  Conallui^. 

Socap  clomne  Caomam,  mic  Connmui^e,  annpo,  bo  ]\€]\  r.a 
n-eolac  n-dppanca,  lap  n-a  pajbail  bo  Qob,  mac  Carail  Ui  Chao 
mam,  6  Cheallac,  mac  Dubba,  a^up  6   Qob,   mac  Ceallai^,  bo 

corhaib 

^  Eachros,  now   Aughris,    a   townland  "^  Aodh,  son  of  Ceallach. — According  to 

containing  the  ruins  of  an  abbey,  in  the  our  author,  in  his   short  Annals  of  the 

parish    of  Templeboy,    in  the  barony  of  O'Dowd  family,  this  Ceallach  was  king  of 

Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo,  north  Connaught,   and  died  in  the  year 

■^  G'Cmmhan,  should  be  Mac  Caomhain,  983,  and  it  is  therefore  a  great  anachron- 

i.  e.  son  of  Caomhan,  for  Cathal  was  the  ism  to  make  this  prince  cotemporary  Avith 

son,  not  the  O',  or  grandson  of  Caomhan one  who  had  been  cursed  by  the  Saxon  St. 

See  pedigree.  Gerald,  who  died,  according  to  the  accurate 


139 

Misdel  [Mitchel],  from  whom  the  Clann  Misdel  and  the /amilj/ 
o/Mac  Finn  O'Dubhda,  with  their  correlatives, 
son  of  Maokuanaidh,  son  of  Aodh  Alainn. 

son  of  Conchobhar  Deseach, 

Domhnall,  prior  of  Eachros^ 
son  of  Tadlig,  son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Domhnall,  sonofMuircheartachnaFuinneoige. 

Aodh  Ruadli,  Diarmaid,  and  Taithleach,  three 
sons  of  Conchobhar,  son  of  Aodh, 

son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Taithleach, 

son  of  Conchobhar  Conallach,        son  of  Aodh, 
son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Muircheartach. 

son  of  Donnchadh  Mor, 

Thomas  and  Maoileachlainn  Mor, 
sons  of  Aodh,  son  of  Conchobhar  Conallach. 

Ruaidhri  Mor, 
son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Conchobhar  Conallach. 

The  privileges  of  the  race  of  Caomhan,  the  son  of  Connmhach, 
according  to  the  ancient  literati,  which  were  obtained  by  Aodh,  son 
of  Cathal  0'Caomhain\  from  Ceallach,  the  son  of  Dubhda,  and  from 
Aodh,  son  of  Ceallach",  as  a  compensation  and  consideration  of  kin- 
dred, 

Annals  of  Tighernacli,  in  the  year  732,  that  that  his  brother  Caomhan  could  have  been 

is,  251  years  before  the  death  of  this  Aodh  cotemporary  with    St.   Gerald   of  Mayo. 

O'Dubhda.  This  story,  therefore,  is  clearly  The  truth  is,   that  this  account  of  the 

false,  for  Dubhda,  the  grandfather  of  Aodh  cursing  of  Caomhan  by  St.   Gerald  is  a 

O'Dubhda,  or  O'Dowd,  who  died  in  983,  mere  legend,  written  centuries  after  the 

could  not,  according  to  the  laws  of  nature,  time,   to    sanctify   the  succession  of  the 

have  been  born  before  the  year  823,  so  O'Dowds,  and  to  account  for  the  laying 

that  it  cannot  for  a  moment  be  assumed  aside  of  the  O'Caomhains,  who  are  senior 

T2 


140 

corhaiD  agup  t)o  coTYib|iair]ieap,  lap  na  eapguine  Do  ^liapailc,  t)o 
naorh  Saxonac  (do  pep  Leabaip  bailb  Shemuip  ITihic  pipbipi^),  50 
n-a  rpi  cet)  naorh,  cpe  rhnaoi  Ui  Cliaorhain  t)'d  6iulua6  6  Dopup 
cacpac  Caorhain  (o'd  n-^oipceap  Cacaip  rhop),  Depeab  laoi;  gup 
eap^uin  Jcfpctlc  Caorhan  co  n-a  pfol,  .1.  gan  pio^a  pop  a  n-Du6cap 
50  bpar.  Od  cuala  Q06  pin,  Do  ^ab  airpeacap  e,  im  eap^uine  a 
pean-arap  Do  beunarh  Do'n  naorh  peap^ac,  a^up  Do  rhij;niorh  na 
nana  ain^iDe,  pop  a  paib  pliocc;  50  n-Deacai6  map  a  paib  Japcii^^ 
Dia  pfoDugaD  ;  agup  56  ]\6  pf 06015,  nfp  rapba  Do  Q06,  uaip  nip 
Deonai^  '^cipailc  pic  Do  neac  D'd  in-biaD  ap  pliocc  na  mnd  po 
Diulca  ppip,  ace  Do  Deonai^  plaiceap  Ua  ^-Caorhain  Do  bee  ap 
pliocc  OiapniaDa,  ttiic  Cacail,  mic  Caorham,  .1.  mac  curhinle  na 

mna 


to  them.  A  legend  exactly  similar  to  this 
has  found  its  way  into  the  Book  of  Fenagh 
from  the  Book  of  Kilmacrenan,  to  account 
for  the  elevation  of  the  family  of  O'Don- 
nell  to  the  chieftainship  of  Tirconnell,  and 
the  downfall  of  the  senior  branches  of  the 
Cinel  Conaill  race  ;  and  various  fables  of 
a  like  nature  have  been  foisted  into  the 
Tripartite  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  originally 
written  by  St.  Evin,  but  afterwards  inter- 
polated by  various  writers,  to  account  for 
the  extinction  or  obscurity  of  the  races 
of  chieftains,  who  opposed  the  saint  in  his 
pious  intentions.  The  true  account  of  the 
laying  aside  of  the  family  of  O'Caomhain 
is  above  given  by  our  author,  in  page  109, 
and  the  present  fable  is  not  worth  atten- 
tion, except  as  a  specimen  of  the  sort  of 
fabrications  resorted  to  by  the  bards  to 
flatter  the  vanity  of  the  families  in  power. 
"  The  wife  of  0''Caomhain,  should  be 


either  the  wife  of  Caomhan,  or  the  wife  of 
Cathal,  son  of  Caomhan. 

'"  Race  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cathal,  son 
of  Caomhan. — Besides  the  anachronisms 
of  this  story,  it  involves  a  contradiction, 
for  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Cao- 
mhan, would  have  carried  as  much  of  the 
blood  of  the  offending  woman  as  his  bro- 
ther Aodh,  if  this  Avicked  woman  was  the 
wife  of  the  grandfather,  Caomhan,  which 
she  would  appear  to  have  been,  as  Cao- 
mhan was  the  person  cursed  on  her  ac- 
count. If  she  was  the  wife  of  Cathal,  son 
of  Caomhan,  then  indeed  Diarmaid,  who 
was  liberated  from  the  curse,  may  have 
had  none  of  her  blood,  as  he  was  the  son 
of  her  Cumhal,  or  handmaid,  but  then  this 
Cathal  could  not  have  been  called  O'Cao- 
mhain, as  in  the  text,  but  Mac  Caomhain. 
And  again,  if  the  wicked  woman  was  really 
the  wife  of  Cathal,  there  appears  no  reason 


141 

dred,  after  he  [i.  e.  Aodh  0^  Caomhain]  liad  been  cursed  by  Gerald, 
the  Saxon  saint  (according  to  the  Dumb  Book  of  James  Mac  Firbis), 
with  his  three  hundred  saints,  in  consequence  of  the  wife  of 
O'Caomhain'',  who  turned  him,  late  in  the  evening,  out  of  the  door 
of  Caomhan's  fort  (which  is  called  Cathair  mhor) ;  so  that  St.  Gerald 
cursed  Caomhan  and  his  seed,  and  prayed  that  there  should  not  be 
a  king  of  his  race  for  ever.  When  Aodh  heard  this,  he  became 
sorroAvful  for  the  curse  pronounced  against  his  grandfather  by  the 
angry  saint,  in  consequence  of  the  misconduct  of  the  malicious 
woman,  who  had  issue ;  so  that  he  went  to  where  St.  Gerald  was  to 
appease  him ;  and  though  he  did  appease  him,  it  was  of  no  avail  to 
Aodh,  for  Gerald  did  not  consent  to  make  peace  with  any  one  de- 
scended from  the  woman  who  had  insulted  him,  but  he  consented 
that  the  chieftainship  of  the  O'Caomhains  should  be  transferred  to 
the  race  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Caomhan"',  that  is,  to  the 

son 


for  the  saint's  curse  against  Caomhan,  his 
father,  for  the  crime  of  his  son's  wife,  and 
should  he  happen  to  have  had  more  sons 
than  Cathal,  it  would  have  been  very  un- 
saintly  indeed  to  curse  the  descendants  of 
them  all  for  the  bad  temper  of  the  wife  of 
one  of  them.  The  story  should  be  told  thus 
by  our  author  : — "  According  to  ancient 
writers  the  following  are  the  privileges  of 
the  race  of  Caomhan,  son  of  Connmhach, 
which  were  obtained  by  Diarmaid,  son  of 
Cathal,  son  of  Caomhan,  from  Ceallach, 
son  of  Dubhda,  and  from  his  son  Aodh,  as 
a  compensation  for  the  loss  of  the  chief- 
tainship, and  in  consideration  of  kindred. 
According  to  the  Dumb  Book  of  James 
Mac  Firbis,   Gerald,   the   Saxon  saint  of 


Mayo,  Avith  his  three  hundred  monks,  had 
pronounced  a  curse  against  the  race  of 
Caomhan,  in  consequence  of  the  conduct 
of  the  wife  of  Cathal,  the  only  son  of  Cao- 
mhan, for  she  had  turned  him,  late  in 
the  evening,  out  of  the  door  of  Caomhan's 
fort,  called  Cathair  Mhor  ;  and  the  saint 
prayed,  and  while  praying  foresaw,  that 
there  should  never  be  a  king  of  the  race 
of  Caomhan,  from  whom  the  family  were 
about  to  be  named.  When  Aodh  O'Cao- 
mhain,  the  legitimate  son  of  Cathal,  by 
his  wicked  wife  already  mentioned,  heard 
this,  he  became  sorrowful  for  the  ciirse 
pronounced  against  the  race  of  his  grand- 
father, in  consequence  of  the  insidt  offered 
to  the  angry  saint  by  his  own  ill-tem- 


14-2 


TTina  Dibi^e,  a^np  ^an  fuil  05  neac  t)'a  cloinn  ppi  pi^e.  ^np  ob  1 
coma  po  ^abpat)  ap  cuio  n^eapnuip,  a.  ruar  ^ctca  cfpe  baoi  la  a 
TTi-bpdraip  6  l?o6ba  50  Cobnai^,  ajup  ropac  puibigce  1  'o-z:^■^  oil, 
a^up  opDii^aD  cara  laip,  a^up  ep^e  poirhe  gac  uaip  C15  'n-a  ceant) 
1  cac  inat)  a  m-bia,  agup  cup  Oije  t)o  agup  porpui^re,  a^up  gac 
neac  ceuG-^abop  apm  'na  rip,  ^onriab  6  pfol  Oiapmaoa,  rmc  Carail, 
TTiic  Caorhain  ^eabup ;  a^up  lua^  leapa  ^aca   h-irigene  pi^,  eac 

agup 


pered  motlier,  from  wliom  all  tlie  legiti- 
mate descendants  of  Caomhan  were  likely 
to  descend  ;  he  therefore  visited  the  saint 
to  remonstrate  with  him  about  the  nature 
of  the  curse,  in  the  hope  of  inducing  hina  to 
revoke  it.  But  though  the  saint  listened 
to  the  remonstrations  of  this  only  legiti- 
mate representative  of  the  house  of  Cao- 
mhan,  and  felt  that  it  was  rather  a  cruel 
case  that  a  whole  tribe  should  labour  un- 
der a  curse  for  ever,  still  would  he  not 
consent  to  revoke  the  denunciation  against 
Aodh,  the  remonstrant,  or  any  of  the  de- 
scendants of  the  "wicked  woman  ;  but  he 
consented  to  avert  the  effect  of  his  ma- 
lediction from  Diarmaid  O'Caomhain,  the 
illegitihiate  son  of  Cathal  by  the  handmaid 
of  the  wicked  woman,  because  he  had  none 
of  the  blood  of  her  who  had  insulted  him. 
To  him  and  his  race  St.  Gerald  wished 
the  chieftainship  of  the  tribe  of  the 
O'Caomhains  only  to  be  transferred,  but 
not  that  any  of  his  descendants  should  ever 
aspire  to  the  chieftainship  of  all  the  Hy- 
Fiachrach.  The  chieftainship  of  the  Hy- 
Fiachrach  was  then  vested  in  the  race  of 
Dubhda,  but  the  following  compensations 


and  pri-\dleges  were  ceded  to  the  race  of 
Diarmaid  O'Caomhain,  the  illegitimate  son 
of  Cathal,  son  of  Caomhan,  in  token  of  the 
seniority  of  his  family,  viz.,  that  their 
chief  should  possess  a  tuath  in  each  terri- 
tory belonging  to  the  O'Dowd,  in  the  re- 
gion extending  from  the  Eiver  Eobe  to 
the  River  Cowney ;  that  he  should  have 
the  privilege  of  first  entering  the  bath, 
and  of  first  sitting  down  at  the  feast,  and 
of  taking  the  first  drink  ;  that  he  should 
be  O'Dowd's  chief  marshal,  pursuivant, 
and  the  commander  of  his  forces  ;  that 
O'Dowd  should  stand  up  before  him 
wherever  he  should  meet  him  on  every 
occasion  whatever  ;  that  all  those  Avho 
should  take  arms,  that  is,  military  wea- 
pons, for  the  first  time  in  O'Dowd's  coun- 
try, should  take  them  from  the  hand  of  the 
representative  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cathal, 
son  of  Caomhan,  and  from  no  other  person ; 
that  O'Caomhain  should  get  the  fine  called 
the  Luach  leasa  from  every  chieftain's 
daughter  upon  her  marriage  ;  that  the 
O'Dowd  should  never  be  nominated  with- 
out the  presence  and  consent  of  O'Caomh- 
ain, who  should  first  pronounce  his  name 


143 


son  of  tlie  handmaid  of  tlie  denounced  woman,  but  tliat  none  of  his 
race  should  ever  expect  to  be  kings  of  all  the  Hy-Fiachrach.  And 
the  compensations  they  obtained  for  this  transfer  of  the  lordship  were 
the  following,  viz.,  a  tuath  of  every  territory  which  their  reigning 
relative  possessed  from  the  river  Rodhba'',  to  the  river  Codhnach^ 
and  the  privilege  of  first  sitting  in  the  drinking  house,  and  of  arraying 
the  battle;  that  O'Duhhda  is  to  stand  up  before  him  whenever  he  meets 
him,  or  wherever  he  may  be  ;  that  0'  Caomhain  is  to  take  the  first 
drink  and  bath ;  and  that  whoever  takes  liis  first  arms^  in  his  territory, 
he  should  take  them  from  the  descendants  of  Diarmaid,  son  of  Cathal, 
son  of  Caomhan;  also  that  they  should  get  the  Luach  leasa  of  every 

king's 


and  walk  tlirice  round  him  after  his  nomi- 
nation ;  that  after  O'Dowd's  inauguration 
O' Caomhain  should  receive  his  steed  and 
battle  dress,  and  that  Mac  Firbis,  the  poet 
of  the  principality,  should  receive  the 
like  from  O' Caomhain.  These  customs  to 
last  for  ever."  For  some  account  of  the 
inauguration  of  the  ancient  Irish  chiefs 
see  Addenda. 

^  River  Rodhha,  now  the  Eiver  Robe, 
which  flows  by  a  very  circuitous  course 
through  the  south  of  the  county  of  Mayo, 
passing  through  the  demesne  of  Castlema- 
garret  and  through  the  town  of  Ballinrobe, 
to  which  it  gives  name,  and  discharging 
itself  into  Lough  Mask  opposite  the  island 
of  Inis  Eodhba,  which  also  derives  its 
name  from  it. 

y  Codhnach This,  as  will  be  hereafter 

shown,  was  the  ancient  name  of  a  small 
river  which  flows  into  the  bay  of  Sligo, 
at  the  village  of  Drumcliff,  in  the  barony 


of  Carbury,  and  county  of  Sligo.  The 
distance  between  these  rivers  shows  the 
great  power  of  the  O'Dowd's  in  Ireland 
before  they  were  encroached  upon  by  the 
O'Conors  of  Sligo,  Barretts,  Burkes,  and 
other  families. 

2  And  that  whoever  takes  his  first  arms,  Sfc. 
— This  passage  reads  in  the  Book  of  Lecan 
thus:  Cach  nech  gebup  apm,  coma  6  pil 
t)iapmaoa,  mic  Cacail,  mic  Caeman, 
gebupa  cheo-jabail  aipm  ap  cup,  ocup 
luach  impiDi  cac  inline  pij  oia  pijpaio, 
ocup  each  ocup  eppao  each  pig  leo  do 
5pep,  ap  n-oul  paoioean^apailc.  These 
words  are  thus  paraphrased  by  the  Rev. 
Patrick  Mac  Loughlin,  in  his  abstract  of 
the  Book  of  Lecan,  a  manuscript  in  the 

Library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy : 

"And  all  those  who  bore  arms  were  to 
have  their  first  arms  from  O'Caomhan, 
and  every  daughter  born  of  the  chief  re- 
presentative of  the  family  was  to  have  her 


144 

aguy^  eappab  ^aca  pij  leo  t)o  ^]ieay',  aji  n-a  pfojaD,  a-^uy  a  lonn- 
arhuil  fin  umbib  ]^ean  t)o'n  ollam,  .i.  oo  TTlliac  pinyibiy'i^. 

No,  50Tina6  e  ^apailc  Oo  baiy^o  Ouboa,  6  t)-rdiD  an  iiiojpaib, 
agup  ^oTTiaD  e  Caomdn  pen  puaip  na  pocaip  pm  (arhuil  a  Oubpa- 
map  ip  m  cpaobp^aoileab)  6  01iubt)a,  cap  ceant)  ci^eapnaip,  maile 
le  TKiopan  ele. 


request  granted  by  the  prince."  But  he  has 
not  here  given  the  true  meaning  of  luac 
impiDi,  for  we  know  from  good  authorities 
that  it  was  the  name  of  a  fine  paid  on  se- 
veral occasions.  Distinct  mention  is  made 
of  this  fine  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  at  the  year  141 4,  as  paid  by  an 
Englishman  to  O'Conor  Faly  and  Mageo- 
ghegan.  "A.  D.  141 4.  A  great  victory 
was  gained  over  the  English  of  Meath  by 
Murchadh  O'Conor,  Lord  of  Offaly,  and 
Fergal  Euadh  Mageoghegan,  LordofCinel 
Fiachach  mic  NeiU.  The  Baron  of  Skreen, 
and  many  of  his  adherent  gentlemen  and 
plebeians,  were  slain  in  the  conflict,  and 
the  son  of  the  Baron  of  Slane  was  taken 
prisoner,  for  whose  ransom  fourteen  hun- 


dred marks  were  afterwards  paid.  Dardis 
the  Lawless  was  also  taken  prisoner  toge- 
ther with  numbers  of  others,  for  whose 
ransom  twelve  hundred  marks  were  ob- 
tained, besides  the  fines  called  Luach  leasa 
and  Luach  impidhe." 

Luach  leasa  literally  means  reward,  or 
price  of  welfare,  and  Luach  impidhe  reward, 
or  price  of  intercession.  Sir  John  Davis, 
in  his  letter  to  the  Earl  of  Salisbury,  makes 
mention  of  the  latter  fine  in  treating  of  the 
origin  and  duties  of  the  Irish  ecclesiastical 
ofiicer  called  herenach.  His  words  are : 
"  The  herenach  was  to  make  a  weekly  com- 
memoration of  the  founder  in  the  church ; 
he  had  always  primam  tonsuram,  but  took 
no  other  orders.     He  had  a  voice  in  the 


145 

king's  daughter  and  the  steed  and  battle-dress  of  every  king  among 
them  for  ever,  after  his  being  inaugurated;  and  that  the  hke  should  be 
given  by  them  to  the  OUamh,  that  is,  to  Mac  Firbis. 

Or,  if  we  believe  others,  it  was  St.  Gerald  that  baptized  Dubhda% 
from  whom  the  chiefs  are  descended,  and  it  was  Caomhan  himself 
that  obtained  these  privileges,  together  with  many  others  (as  we  have 
stated  in  the  genealogy),  from  Dubhda,  in  consideration  of  the  chief- 
tainship. 


chapter,  when  they  consulted  about  their 
revenues,  and  paid  a  certain  yearly  rent  to 
the  bishop,  besides  a  fine  upon  the  mar- 
riage of  every  of  his  daughters,  which  they 
call  a  Loughinipy ^"^  &c. 

The  term  Luach  leasa  is  frequently  used 
by  the  Irish  poets  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury in  the  sense  of  omen  of  welfare.  It 
is  curious  that  our  author  has  used  the 
term.  Luach  leasa  instead  o^\h.e  Luach  im- 
pidhe  of  the  Book  of  Lecan  ;  indeed  it  is 
likely  that  they  are  nearly  synonimous, 
and  the  Editor  is  of  opinion  that  the  mo- 
dern Anglo-Irish  term  luck- penny  is  de- 
rived from  the  latter. 


^  Lt  was  St.  Gerald  that  baptized  Dubhda. 
— This  cannot  be  true,  for  it  has  been  al- 
ready shown  (Note  ")  that  this  Dubhda 
could  not  have  been  born  before  the  year 
823,  whereas,  we  have  the  authority  of 
the  very  accurate  annalist,  Tighernach, 
for  the  fact,  that  St.  Gerald  of  Mayo  died 
in  732.  The  truth  is,  that  St.  Gerald  had 
nothing  at  all  to  do  with  this  compact 
between  the  rival  brothers  Caomhan  and 
Dubhda,  but  it  is  highly  probable  that 
his  comharba,  or  successor  at  Mayo,  may 
have  interposed  to  settle  their  disputes. — 
See  Addenda. 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


u 


Durhchusaigii  ccoimng  piachRacb. 


U  2  DUCliChUSaiSh 


DUChChUSai51i 


CLOIMMG  piaChRaCh 


t)o  pheaRa]6h  ceai^a  aww  so 
6UDheast)a. 

loca  ceut)  Ceapa,  umojipo,  upi  pioja  puippe,  .1 

'TTluipeaboig,  O'Jopmo^,   agup   O'Uijeapnaij;. 

Qp  6  a  peab  agup  a  Idn,  .1.  6  l?66ba  50  l?arain. 

agup  6  pinonnglaip  50  Tllcnreois  Qcaib  ^abaip,  arhuil  appeapc 

an  pann  : 

O  l?66ba  50  l?arain  puai6, 
Cpfoc  Ceapa  copnuiD  na  pluai^, 

O 

The  initial  letter  T  has  been  copied  from     living  word,  signifies  a  tract  of  country 


the  Book  of  Kells,  fol.  38.  The  Society 
is  indebted  to  Dr.  Aquilla  Smith  for  the 
drawing  from  which  the  wood- cut  was  en- 
graved. 

*  Hereditary  jyroprietors — As  the  words 
DuraiD,  Durcap,  and  ouccapac  occur  so 
frequently  in  this  topographical  tract,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  explain  them  here 
once  for  all.     tDuraio,  which  is  still  a 


hereditary  in  some  family,  as  nuraio 
Seoijeac,  i.  e.  Joyces'  country,  in  the 
west  of  the  county  of  Galway ;  ouraio  an 
6happai5  TTIhoip,  i.  e.  Barry  More's 
country,  or  patrimonial  inheritance,  in  the 
county  of  Cork.  tDuccap,  when  applied 
philosophically,  means  inherent  nature, 
innate  instinct,  but  when  used  topogra- 
phically it  means  a  hereditary  estate,  or 


HEREDITARY  PROPRIETORS* 


THE  CLANN   FIACHRACH. 


OF  THE  MEN  OF  CEARA  HERE. 

'HE  triocha  cheucP  of  Ceara;  there  were  three  kings 
over  it,  namely,  O'Muireaclhaigh,  O'Gormog,  and 
O'Tighernaigh.    Its  full  extenf"  is  from  the  Rodhba" 

r^^t  toEathain',  __.  _.,...  ^ 

%y^^^i  Achadh  gabhair*",  as  the  rann  states 

From  Rodliba  to  Rathain  the  red 

Is  the  comitry  of  Ceara,  which  the  hosts  defend, 

From 


and  from  Fionnghlais^  to  Maiteog^  of 


patrimonial  inheritance.  Durcapac,  which 
makes  ouccapaij  in  the  nominative  plural, 
is  a  personal  noun  formed  from  ourcap, 
and  signifies  an  inheritor,  or  hereditary 
proprietor.  These  three  words  seem  to  be 
cognate  with  the  Latin  dos,  whence  dota- 
rium,  doarium,  &c.,  in  the  medigeval  Latin, 
are  derived. 

^  Triocha  ckeud This  was  the  ancient 

Irish  name  for  a  barony  or  hundred,  and 


it  appears  from  various  authorities  that  it 
comprised  thirty  Ballybetaghs,  or  one 
hundred  and  twenty  quarters  of  land,  each 
quarter  containing  one  hundred  and  twenty 
Irish  acres.  The  Irish  Triocha  cheud 
would  therefore  appear  to  have  been  larger 
than  the  English  hundred,  or  "Wapentake, 
which  consisted  of  ten  towns  or  tithings, 
or  one  hundred  families. 

"  Its  full  extent The   Eev.    P.    Mac 


15° 


O  piiionnj;laip,  50  a  D-cacuig  coin, 
^o  TTlaiceoi^  Qcam  ^abaip. 
Uaoij^ibeacc  Ui  Uaoa,  a^uf  Ui  ChinDcnarha,  6  TTlhaiceoij  50 
Callainn,  agup  6  bhunpearha]i  50  h-Qbuinn  na  mallacuan. 

Uuara 


Loughlin,  in  his  abstract  of  the  Book  of 
Lecan,  translates  this  passage  thus : — "  fol. 
81,  begins  of  the  men  of  Ceara.  This 
Tricha  ceud  had  three  lords  (riga),  viz., 
O'Muiredaig,  O'Gormog,  andO'Tigernaig, 
Its  full  extent  in  length  and  breadth, — 
afeadh  agiis  allan — from  Rodba  to  Eath- 
ain,  and  from  Finglas  to  Maiteog  Acha 
Gobhair,"  This  description  of  the  extent 
of  Ceara  is  not  given  in  the  topographical 
poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  from 
which  it  is  evident  that  the  prose  account 
of  the  territories  of  Hy-Fiachrach  was  not 
wholly  derived  from  that  authority.  As, 
however,  this  poem  is  the  oldest  named 
authority  for  the  topography  of  Hy-Fiach- 
rach, the  topographical  notes  Avhich  might 
be  here  given,  shall  be  reserved  for  the 
elucidation  of  that  poem,  and  the  Editor 
will  only  remark,  in  the  notes  to  this 
prose  list,  such  differences  as  appear  be- 
tween it  and  the  poem. 

•^  Rodhba,  now  the  River  Eobe,  which 
anciently  formed  the  southern  boundary 
of  the  territory  of  Ceara,  though  it  does 
not  bound  the  modern  barony  of  Carra, 
which  retains  the  old  name. 

^  RatJiain,  the   name  of  the  northern 

boundary  of  Ceara,  is  now  called  Eaithin  ; 

.  it  is  a  townland  containing  a  gentleman's 

seat,  on  the  boundary  between  the  baro- 


nies of  Carra  and  Burrishoole,  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  west  of  the  town  of  Castlebar. 

f  Fionnghlais,  i.  e.  the  bright  stream, 
was  the  ancient  name  of  a  stream  forming 
the  eastern  boundary  of  the  territory  of 
Ceara,  but  it  is  now  obsolete,  and  it  would 
perhaps  be  idle  to  conjecture  what  stream 
it  is,  as  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  mo- 
dern barony  of  Carra  may  not  be  the  same 
as  that  of  the  ancient  territory,  but  if 
we  draw  a  line  from  Aghagower,  which 
was  on  the  western  boundary  of  this  ter- 
ritory, in  an  eastern  direction,  we  shall 
find  that  it  will  meet  a  lake  and  small 
stream  at  Ballyglass,  on  the  boundary 
of  the  baronies  of  Carra  and  Clanmorris  ; 
which  stream  may  have  been  anciently 
called  Fionnghlais. 

8  Maiteog  of  Achadh  gabhair.  —  This  is 
said  to  have  been  the  ancient  name  of 
Maus,  or  Mace,  a  townland  a  short  dis- 
tance to  the  east  of  the  village  of  Agh- 
agower, and  which  is  now  a  considerable 
distance  west  of  the  boundary  of  the  mo- 
dern barony. 

^  Achadh  gabhair,  now  Aghagower,  a 
village  containing  the  ruins  of  an  an- 
cient church  and  round  tower,  in  the  ba- 
rony of  Murresk,  and  county  of  Mayo. 
This,  though  it  pretty  fairly  represents 
the  present   pronunciation,    is    certainly 


151 


From  Fionnglilais,  which  the  hounds  frequent, 
To  Maiteog  of  Achadh  gabhair. 

The  chieftainship  of  O'h-Uada  and  O'Cinnchnamha  from  Maiteog 
to  Callainn,  and  from  Bunreamhar"'  to  Abhainn  na  mallachtan-'. 

The 

thography,  translated  the  name  Agha- 
gower,  fire  of  fires;  and  observed  that 
though  it  was  vulgarly  believed  to  mean 
"  ford  of  the  goats,"  still  he  could  not  alter 
his  own  opinion  of  its  meaning  as  long  as 
the  round  tower,  or  fire  of  fires  was  stand- 
ing at  the  place  ;  in  which  process  of  rea- 
soning he  errs  in  both  points  of  view,  for 
the  name  does  not  signify  fire  of  fires,  nor 
does  it  appear  that  the  tower  ever  bore 
such  a  name,  or  was  used  for  a  purpose 
that  would  support  such  a  name,  for  it  is 
now,  and  has  been  from  the  period  of  its 
erection,  called  Cloigtheach  Achaidh  f  hob- 
hair,  i.  e.  the  belfry  of  Aghagower, 

'  Bunreamhar,  now  anglicised  Bunraw- 
er,  a  well-known  townland  in  the  parish 
of  Ballintober,  in  the  barony  of  Carra, 
and  joining  the  boundary  of  the  parish 

of  Aghagower See  Ordnance  Map  of  the 

county  of  Mayo,  sheet  88.  This  name  is 
not  given  in  the  poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor 
Mac  Firbis. 

J  Abhainn  na  mallachtan,  i.  e.  the  river 
of  the  curses.  This  is  called  Abhainn  in- 
duar,  i.  e.  the  cold  river,  in  the  poem  of 
Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  which  affords 
an  additional  proof  that  the  compiler  of 
this  prose  list  had  other  authorities  besides 
that  poem See  note  ',  p.  152. 


not  the  true  spelling  of  the  name,  for  we 
have  the  authority  of  the  most  ancient 
lives  of  St.  Patrick  to  show  that  the  an- 
cient form  of  the  name  was  Achadh 
Fobhair,  and  even  now  it  is  pronounced 
Qcao  phoBajp.  The  author  of  the  Tri- 
partite Life  of  St.  Patrick  speaks  of  this 
place  as  follows  : — "  Progressus  Patricius 
pervenit  usque  in  Umalliam,  quae  est  regio 
maritima  occidentalis  Connaciee.  Ibi  ex- 
tructse  ecclesise  diQ  Achadh fobhuir  prgefecit, 
et  in  episcopum  consecravit,  S.  Senachum, 
virum  vitse  innocentia  et  animi  submis- 
sionecelebrem." — Lib.  ii.  c.  62.  And  again, 
c.  68,  "  His  peractis  descendit  de  monte 
[Cruach  Patraic]  Patricius  ....  ac  in 
ecclesia  jam  memorata  de  Achadh fobhuir 
reliquam  paschse  celebravit  solemnitatem." 
Colgan,  in  a  note,  thus  describes  the  situa- 
tion of  this  place  : — "  Ecclesia  de  Achadh 
fobhuir  est  dioecesis  Tuamensis  et  comita- 
tus  Mageonensis  in  Connacia.  Et  licet  hodie 
sit  tantum  parrochialis,  et  caput  ruralis 
decanatus,  fait  olim  sedes  Episcopalis." 

The  name  Achadh  gabhair,  as  in  the 
text,  would  mean  "  field  of  the  goat,"  but 
the  correct  ancient  name,  Achadh  fobhuir, 
signifies  field  of  the  spring,  and  the  place 
was  so  called  from  a  celebrated  spring 
there,  now  called  St.  Patrick's  Well.  Val- 
lancey,  without  knowing  the  original  or- 


Uuaca  paprjiai^e  6  Qc  na  niallacran  50  ^laip  ^^^P^  ^^ 
CainDe,  a^up  6  Chaol  50  pal,  a^uy^  O'^oipmiallai^  a  pf,  a^uf 
O'DopcaiDe  a  caoipioc  ;  no,  caoipi^eacc  Ui  Ohopcaibe  arhdin,  t)o 
pep  lebuip  SheTnuip  agup  ^hiolla  lopa  TTlhic  phipbipi^. 

O'banan  6  bhaile  Ui  blianctn,  agup  Tllagilin  6'n  Tlluine,  .1.  t)d 
miiac  Oglaoic. 

Uuar  TTIuije  na  berime,  .1.  6  Callamn  50  h-Uluib  Caolaino,  .i. 
peace  m-baile  Lu^opuain,  Ducai6  TTlec  an  bhainb. 

O 


^   Partraighe These   boundaries    of 

Partraighe  are  not  given  in  the  poem  of 
GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  and  it  will  be 
therefore  necessary  to  point  out  their  si- 
tuations in  this  place.  The  name  of  Par- 
traighe, though  not  recognized  as  a  baro- 
nial or  parochial  division,  is  still  known  in 
the  country,  and  has  been  recently  applied 
by  the  Poor  Law  Commissioners  to  a  dis- 
trict nearly  co-extensive  with  the  parish 
of  Ballyovey,  in  which  there  is  a  range  of 
mountains  still  called  Slieve  Partry.  It 
should  be  further  remarked,  that  the  pa- 
rish of  Ballyovey,  anciently  called  Odhbha 
Ceara,  is  always  called  the  parish  of  Partry 
by  the  Koman  Catholics,  and  that  the  seat 
of  John  Lynch,  Esq.,  situated  on  Lough 
Carra,  in  this  parish,  is  called  Partry 
House,  so  that  the  name  of  this  territory 
has  not  shared  the  fate  of  many  others, 
which  are  locally  lost. 

'  Ath  na  mallachtan,  i.  e.  the  ford  of  the 
curses  or  maledictions.  This  name  is  now 
lost,  but  the  old  natives  of  Partry  believe 
that  it  was  the  name  of  a  ford  on  a  stream 
which  rises  in  the  mountain  of  Formna- 


more,  and  discharges  itself  into  Lough 
Mask. 

™  Glaisi  Guirt  na  lainne. — This  name  is 
now  corrupted  to  Glais  gort,  or  Glashgort, 
which  is  that  of  a  townland  in  the  parish 
of  Ballintober.  —  See  Ordnance  Survey  of 
the  County  of  Mayo,  sheet  99. 

°  Caol,  now  well  known  as  the  bridge 
of  Keel, — opoiceao  an  Chaoil, — which 
stands  over  the  narrow  strait  connecting 
Lough  Carra  and  Lough  Mask,  to  the 
north-west  of  the  town  of  Ballinrobe. 

"  Fal,  now  Faul,  and  sometimes  called 
Kilfaul,  Avhich  is  the  name  adopted  on  the 
Ordnance  Map,  a  toAvnland  on  the  mearing 
of  the  parishes  of  Ballyovey  and  Ballinto- 
ber, and  bordering  on  Lough  Carra. 

P  Baile  Ui  Bhanan In  Giolla  losa  Mor 

Mac  Firbis's  poem  it  is  expressed  0'6anan 
6  Baili  pein,  O'Banan  of  his  oAvn  town, 
i,  e.  of  the  townland  called  after  him- 
self. It  is  still  called  6aile  Ui  6ha- 
nain  by  the  natives,  who  speak  Irish  very 
well,  and  anglicised  Ballybannon  or  Bally- 
banaun.  It  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Bal- 
lyovey, not  far  from  the  margin  of  Lough 


153 


The  tuath  of  Partraiglie''  extends  from  Atli  iia  mallaclitan'  to 
Glaisi  Guirt  na  lainne'",  and  from  CaoP  to  Fal°.  And  O'Gairmial- 
laigli  was  its  king  and  O'Dorcliaidlie  its  toparcli ;  or,  it  was  the  lord- 
ship of  O'Dorchaidhe  alone,  according  to  the  book  of  James  and 
GioUa  losa  Mac  Firbis. 

O'Banan  of  Baile  Ui  Bhanan",  and  Magilin  of  Muine",  i.  e.  two 
Mac  Oglaoichs^ 

The  tuath  of  Mao^h  na  bethiojhe^  extends  from  Callainn^  to  Uluidh 

Caolainn",  that  is,  the  seven  ballys  of  Lughortan,  the  estate  of  Mac 

an  Bhainbh. 

O'h-Aodha 

town  in  other  parts  of  Ireland.  The  true 
Irish  spelling,  however,  is  ^uBjopcan, 
but  the  orthography  was  corrupted  at  an 
early  period,  for  we  learn  from  Cormac, 
in  his  Glossary,  that  Cujbopcan  was  the 
form  of  6ub^opcan,  i.  e.  an  herb  garden, 
in  his  own  time. 

^  Callainn This,  which  was  undoubt- 
edly the  name  of  a  river,  is  now  obsolete. 
It  was  probably  the  name  of  the  Claureen 
river,  which  falls  into  Lough  Carra.  There 
is  a  river  named  Callan  in  the  county  of 
Armagh,  another  in  Kerry,  and  the  town 
of  Callan,  in  Kilkenny,  derived  its  name 
from  the  river  on  which  it  is  built. 

"  Uluidh  Caolainn,  i.  e.  the  earn,  stone 
altar,  or  penitential  station  of  the  virgin 
St.  Caolainn,  the  patron  saint  of  Termon 
Caolainn,  in  the  parish  of  Kilkeevin,  near 
Castlerea,  in  the  county  of  Eoscommon. 
The  Editor  made  every  search  and  inquiry 
for  Uluidh  Caolainn,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Luffertaun,  in  the  year  1838,  but  was 
not  able  to  identify  it,  and  is  satisfied  that 


Mask,  and  contains  a  Roman  Catholic  cha- 
pel. It  is  called  Ballybanaan  on  Bald's 
Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo. 

1  Magilin  of  Muine.  —  O'Gillin  in  the 
poem.  Muine,  or  Carrowmoney,  is  still  the 
name  of  a  hamlet  and  townland  in  the  pa- 
rish of  Ballyovey  or  Partry. 

"■  Mac  Oglaoichs This  is  not  stated  in 

the  poem.  The  meaning  of  Mac  Oglaoich  is 
not  given  in  any  Irish  Dictionary,  but 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  was  the 
same  as  the  Galloglach  of  later  ages. 

^  Magh  na  bethighe,  i.  e.  the  plain  of  the 
birch.  The  extent  of  this  district  is  not 
given  in  the  poem.  The  name  Magh  na 
bethighe  is  now  lost,  but  the  alias  name 
of  Lughortan  is  well  known,  being  that  of 
a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Ballintober, 
containing  the  ruins  of  a  castle  said  to 
have  been  erected  by  the  family  of  Burke. 
It  is  anglicised  Luffertaun,  which  repre- 
sents the  local  pronunciation  correctly 
enough,  though  the  same  name  is  rendered 
Lorton,  and  even  Lowerton  and  Lower- 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


X 


154 

O'  h-C[o6a  o  bhaile  Cpaoibe,  .i.  baile  an  Uobaiji. 

Duraib  1  Uarrhapdin  .1.  baile  Ca^dil. 

Oucaib  1  Ceap^upa,  .i.  baile  Chille  buamDe. 

bailee  puipc  Ceapa,  .i.  peapc  boraip,  a^up  Coc  m-buaboi^, 
n^up  an  c-Qonac. 

Uiiat:  TTlui^e  phionDalba,  0015  baile  t)ec,  .1.  Ducaib  Ui  Cheap- 
nai^,  6  Chpannan  Uopnai^e  50  Caipiol  Caipppe. 

t)urai6  1  Gbneacam  rpi  baile  TTIui^e  na  Cnocai^e,  agup  cpi 
bhaile  l^iagam,  .1.  baile  an  Chpiocdin  buibe,  a^iip  baile  an  pnio- 
cdm,  agiip  baile  na  ^peallca,  a^up  cpi  baile  phiob  Cpuaice,  .1. 
baile  Ui  Ruaipc,  agup  baile  na  Leap^an  moipe. 

Ouraib  Ui  Chiapa^ain  baile  bel  na  lece. 

Ourai6  Ui  Cboi^li^,  .^.  baile  Capnan  copnaibe,  no  Pan  cop- 
naibe. 

Ducaib  TTlec  ^lolla  pbaolain,  .1.  baile  mhui^e  Roipen. 

Ouraib 


the  name  is  lost,  though  the  monument  to 
which  it  Avas  applied  may  remain. 

"  Baile  Chille  Buaine This  is  called 

Baili  Chilli  Buanaindi  in  the  Book  of  Le- 
can,  fol.  82,  b,  a. 

^  It  extends This   extent    of  Magh 

Fhiondalbha  is  not  given  in  the  Topogra- 
phical Poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Fir- 
bis,  which  shows  that  this  prose  account 
of  the  estates  and  families  of  Hy-Fiachrach 
was  not  derived  from  that  authority  only. 

^  Baile  Riagain.  —  The  three  sub-divi- 
sions of  the  townland  of  Baile  Riagain  are 
not  given  in  the  poem. 

^  Baile  an  Chriochain  bhuidhe,  now 
Creaghaunboy,  in  the  parish  of  Magh 
Fhionnalbha,  or,  as  it  is  anglicised,  Moy- 


nulla,  or  ManuUa See  Ordnance  Map  of 

the  county  of  Mayo,  sheet  79. 

y  Baile  an  smotain,  now  the  townland 
of  Smuttanagh,  in  the  same  parish.  There 
is  a  townland  called  Gortnasmuttaun,  in 
the  parish  of  Ballyhean.  —  See  Ordnance 
Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo,  sheets  79 
and  90. 

2  Baile  na  Greallcha This  name  is 

now  obsolete,  but  it  must  have  been  ap- 
plied to  a  denomination  of  land  adjoining 
Creaghanboy  or  Smuttanagh,  in  the  parish 
of  Manulla. 

*  Fiodh  cruaiche,  i.  e.  the  wood  of  the 
round  hill.  The  subdivisions  of  this  town- 
land  are  not  given  in  the  poem,  and  the 
third  denomination  is  not  added  in  the 


^55 

O'h-Aodlia  of  Baile  Craoiblie,  i.  e.  Baile  an  ToLair. 

The  estate  of  O'li-Uatlimliarain,  i.  e.  Baile  Cagail. 

The  estate  of  O'Learghusa,  i.  e.  Baile  Cille  Buainne''. 

The  chief  seats  of  Ceara  are  Feart  Lothair,  Loch  m-Buaclhaigh, 
and  Aonach. 

The  tuath  of  Magh  Fhiondalbha,  containing  fifteen  townlands, 
is  the  estate  of  O'Cearnaigh.  It  extends^  from  Crannan  Tornaighe 
(or  Ran  Tornaighe)  to  Caisiol  Cairpre. 

The  estate  of  O'h-Edhneachain,  i.  e.  the  three  townlands  of  Magh 
na  cnocaighe,  and  the  three  townlands  of  Baile  Riagain'',  viz.,  Baile 
an  Chriochain  bhuidhe'',  Baile  an  smotain^  and  Baile  na  Greallcha^ ; 
and  the  three  townlands  of  Fiodli  Cruaiche',  viz.,  Baile  Ui  Rnairc^ 
and  Baile  na  Leargan  moire. 

The  estate  of  O'Ciaragain,  the  townland  of  Bel  na  lece'. 

The  estate  of  O'Coigligh,  i.  e.  Baile  Carnan  tornaidhe'*,  or  Ran 
tornaidh. 

The  estate  of  Mac  GioUa  Fhaolain,  i.  e.  the  townland  of  Magh 

Roisen^ 

The 

prose  list,  either  as  given  by  our  author,  tlie  present  townland  of  Ballynalecka,  in 

or  in  the  Book  of  Lecan.     It  should  be  the  parish  of  Ballintober,  and  barony  of 

also  remarked,  that  neither  the  name  of  Carra.     There  is  a  Baile  Ui  Chiaragain, 

the  large  denomination  nor  any  of  those  i.  e.  town  of  O'Ciaragain,  now  anglicised 

of  its  sub-divisions,  are  now  retained  in  Ballykerrigan,  in  the  parish  of  Balla — See 

the  barony  of  Carra.  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo, 

^  Baile  Ui  Rimirc,  i.  e.  O'Eourke's  town,  sheet  90. 

now  Ballyrourke,  a  townland  in  the  parish         ^  Baile  Carnan   Tornaighe This   is 

of  Balla See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  called  Baile  Crannain  in  both  copies  of  the 

of  Mayo,  sheet  90.  poem. 

•^  Bel  na  leice,  i.  e.  mouth  of  the  ford  of  ^  Magh  Roisen. — This  name  is  not  given 

the  flag  stone.     This,  which  is  called  by  in  the  poem,  for  it  is  evidently  not  the  same 

the  alias  name  of  Baile  an  Bhealaigh,  i.  e.  as  Tuath  Euisen,  mentioned  in  Note  °,  p. 

road-town,  in  the  poem,  is  most  probably  156.    It  is  evidently  the  present  townland 

X2 


156 


Duraib  Ui  Chuacain,  6aile  Ivp  aiche,  ay  pip  a  r)eajiap  6aile 
an  jie^lep. 

Duraib  1  maoiljiaice  an  r-Oijiearh,  a^up  an  byiaonpoy^,  an 
r-loinai|ie,  a^up  Cul  an  Dainjin. 

OuraiD  Ui  phagapcai^,  cyii  baile  Uulca  Spealain. 

Durai6  Ui  bhpo^an,  Uulac  Spealdn. 

Uaoipi^eacc  Ui  Cheapnaij  pop-,  cerpe  baile  piceao  Uheap- 
TTiumn  balla. 

Do  buraib  1  Chaornain  i  5-Ceapa,  peace  m-baile  l?opa  Laoj, 
.1.  o  Chliiain  Lip  (no  Ceapa)  Nellin  50  beul  dm  na  lub;  a^up  6 
bheul  ara  na  5-cdpp  50  TTluileann  Uiopmam;  lap  na  pagbdil  00 
Chaorhan,  mac  Connrhai^,  6  DliubDa,  6  n-a  beapbpdraip,  a^up  t)o 
Q06  6  Caorham,  6  CX06,  naac  Ceallai^  Ui  Ohuboa,  o  l?!^  Ua 
b-piacpac  ;  uaip  ni  ppior  uuar  ^an  Dubcupac  t)o  clannuip  6pc 
ChulbuiDe  gan  a  oion  t)o   buociip  aice,  ace  an  xruat  eolac  air- 

eacDa 


of  Eusheen,  lying  between  Clogher  and 

Lisrobert See    Ordnance   Map   of  the 

County  of  Mayo,  sheet  loo. 

f  Baiie  Lis  aiche. — Not  in  the  poem. 

s  Baile  an  Regies This  is  called  An 

Regies,  i.  e.  the  church,  in  the  poem,  but 
it  is  mentioned  as  the  property  of  Mac 
Gilla  Fhaelain,  and  O'Cuachain  is  omitted 
altogether.  The  name  O'Cuachain  is,  how- 
ever, still  in  the  district,  but  disguised 
under  the  anglicised  form  of  Gough. 

^  In  Ceara O'Caomhain  had  other 

estates  elsewhere. 

'  Bos  laogh,  now  Rosslee,  a  parish  in  the 
barony  of  Carra,  lying  about  six  miles 
south  south-east  from  the  town  of  Castle- 
bar,  on  the  road  to  Hollymount.     This 


name  is  not  given  in  the  Topographical 
Poem  of  GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  nor 
are  the  limits  of  O'Caomhain's  estate,  in 
Ceara,  mentioned,  except  under  the  name 
of  Tuath  Euisen. 

J  Cluain  Lis  Nellin,  now  obsolete. 

^  Beul  atha  na  lub. — This  name  is  still 
well  known  in  Carra,  it  being  the  Irish 
name  of  Newbrook,  the  seat  of  Lord  Clan- 
morris. 

'  Beul  atha  na  g-carr,  now  the  townland 
of  Ballygarries,  in  the  parish  of  Ballyhean, 
and  barony  of  Carra. 

™  Muilen  Tiormain. — This  name  is  still 
retained,  but  somewhat  corrupted,  being 
anglicised  Mullencromaun,  which  is  a 
townland  in  the  parish  of  Drum,  in  the 


^57 

The  estate  of  O'Cuacliain  is  Baile  lis  aiclie*^,  which  is  called  Baile 
an  Regies^. 

The  estate  of  O'Maolraite  is  Oireamh,  and  Braonros,  lomaire, 
and  Cnl  an  daingin. 

The  estate  of  O'Faghartaigh,  the  three  townlands  of  Tulacli 
Spealan. 

The  estate  of  O'Brogain,  Tulach  Spealain. 

The  lordship  of  O'Cearnaigh  also  compiised  the  twenty-four 
townlands  of  the  Termon  of  Balla. 

The  estate  of  O'Caomhain,  in  Ceara'',  comprised  the  seven  town- 
lands  of  Ros  laogh',  i.  e.  the  tract  extending  from  Cluain  Lis  Nellin^ 
to  Beul  atha  na  lub"",  and  from  Beul  atha  na  g-carr'  to  Muilenn  Tior- 
main"",  which  estate  was  obtained  by  Caomhan,  son  of  Connmhach, 
from  Dubhda,  his  own  brother,  and  by  Aodh  O'Caomhain  from 
Aodh,  son  of  Ceallach  O'Dubhda,  Iving  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  for  there  was 
found  no  district  without  its  hereditary  proprietor  of  the  race  of  Earc 
Culbhmdhe,  except  this  well  known  Attacottic  district",  named  Tuath 

Ruisen ; 

barony  of  Carra.  the  district  here  described  still  retains  the 

°  Attacottic  district. — Uuar  Qiceacoa,  nanieof  Tuath  Aitheachda,  now  anglicised 

i.  e.  territorium  Attacotticum,  or  a  district  Touaghty,  for  it  is  the  name  of  a  small 

not  in  the  possession  of  freemen  of  the  Sco-  parish  near  Beal  atha  na  Inb,  or  Newbrook, 

tic  or  Milesian  blood,  but  occupied  by  a  in  the  barony  of  Carra.     The  copy  of  this 

tribe  of  the  Firbolgs,    the   remnants    of  prose  tract,  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  adds, 

whom,  wherever  they  were  seated,  were  that  this  district  was  conferred  on  O'Cao- 

styled  Aitheachs,  i.  e.  Attacotti  or  Pie-  mhain  by  O'Dowd,  in  consequence  of  his 

beians,  by  their  conquerors.    This  district  nobility  and  relationship    to   the    latter, 

is   not  called    Tuath  Aitheachda    in  the  and  that  it  continued  in  the  possession  of 

poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  which  that  family  from  that  to  the  time  of  the 

shows  that  the  compiler  of  this  prose  list  writer.     t)o  coriiapca  uaipli   ocup  apo- 

had  his  information  from  other  sources,  bpaicpip,  conao  pooipli   oucupa  o'ct  pil 

It  is  very  curious  to  find  that  a  part  of  6  pin  ille  in  cuac  pin. 


158 


ecicDa  pin,  .i.  Uuac  Ruiy^en  a  h-amni,  coniD  pu6ilif  t){j6cupa  t)o  lb 
Caorhain  i  6  ym  alle,  ^enmoua  lolcuaca  ele  ol  ceana. 

Uoipjeacc  Ui  l?uai6in,  6  blieal  dca  na  liib  50  Uoca]!  Chillin 
na  n-^ap^,  agup  ap  D  a  n-t)u6cup  Uf  CTiulucdin. 

Uaoipi^eacc  Ui  61npn  6  cocaji  Chillin  na  n-^ap^  50  beul  dra 
na  fe]pi6,  a^up  "Roibfn  bea^  t)o'n  leac  roip,  a^up  o  c-Si^fn  Ciapdin 
50  Uobap  Lu  jna. 

Uaoipgeacu  Uf  ^hoipm^iolla  6  Uhobap  Cu^na^obeulCbaoil 
Papcpaige,  a^up  6  r?66ba  50  Paicleann,  .i.  peace  m-baile  50  ler. 

Upi  baile  an  Chpiaupai^  t)urai6  Uf  TTlhaoilcana,  a^iip  THeic 
^lolla  buibe,  6  Cbillfn  na  m-5ui6ean  'p  a'  Chpiarpac. 

Ou6ciipai5  Ceapa  50  nuici  pin.  ^lolla  an  ^hoill  TTIa^  Nell, 
pi  De^eanac  po  ^ab  Ceapa  t)o  ^baoibealuib;  pe  Ifn  Uaicli^  TTlhoip, 
TTiic  Qo6a  1  Ohuboa,  po  gab  6  Pobba  ^oCobnuig,  agup  a  abnacal 
1  ni-5aile  Uhobaip  pdopaig.  [Ip  li-e  pob'  eapboc  pe  linD  na  pig 
pin,  .1.  TTlael  Ipa  mag  TTIailin.] 


°  Tuaith  Ruisen This,  wliich  is  the 

only  name  for  O'Caorahain's  estate,  in 
Ceara,  given  in  the  poem,  is  evidently  the 
true  ancient  name  of  the  territory.  Eos- 
laogh,  the  first  name  for  it,  given  in  this 
prose  list,  is  evidently  the  ecclesiastical 
name  of  the  district,  or  name  of  the  pa- 
rish, which  was  derived  from  the  situation 
of  the  parish  church  in  the  townland  of 
Roslaogh,  now  Eosslee. 

P  Cillin  na  n-garg,  is  written  Cill  na 
n-gragal  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  but  in  both 
copies  of  the  poem  it  is  Cillin  na  n-garg, 
as  in  the  text,  which  seems  to  be  the  true 
reading. 

^  Baile  Tobair  Padraig,  i.  e.  the  bally  or 


townland  of  St.  Patrick's  well,  now  Ballin- 
tober,  in  the  barony  of  Carra,  and  county 
of  Mayo,  where  there  are  the  magnificent 
ruins  of  a  monastery  erected  by  Cathal 
Croibhdliearg,  or  Charles  the  Eedhanded 
O'Conor,  in  the  year  121 6. 

""  0''Culachain — This  name  is  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  Mac  Uallachain  of  Hy- 
Many,  though  both  are  now  anglicised 
Cuolahan.  The  name  O'Culachain  is  still 
in  Carra,  and  sometimes  correctly  angli- 
cised Coolahan. 

^  And  the  person  who  teas  hishoj) The 

portion  of  this  passage  enclosed  in  brackets 
is  taken  from  the  copy  of  this  prose  list, 
preserved  in  the  Book  of  Lecan.  The  Eev. 


159 

Ruisen° ;  so  that  it  lias  been  the  hereditary  patrimony  of  \he  family 
o/0'Caomhain  ever  since,  besides  many  other  districts. 

The  lordship  of  O'Ruaidhin  extends  from  Beul  atha  na  lub  to 
the  causeway  of  Cillin  na  n-garg^,  and  of  his  tribe  is  the  family  of 
O'Culachain^ 

The  lordship  of  O'Birn  extends  from  the  causeway  of  Cillin  na 
n-garg  to  Beul  atha  na  sesidli,  Roibin  beag  being  on  the  east  side ; 
and  from  Sighin  Ciarain  to  Tobar  Lughna. 

The  lordship  of  O'Goirmghiolla  extends  from  Tobar  Lughna  to 
the  ford  of  Caol  Patraighe,  and  from  the  Rodhba  to  Eaithleann.  It 
contains  seven  townlands  and  a  half. 

The  three  townlands  of  Criathach  are  the  estate  of  O'Maoilcana, 
and  of  the  family  of  Mac  GioUa  bhuidlie  of  Cillin  na  m-buidhean,  in 
Criathrach. 

So  far  the  hereditary  proprietors  of  Ceara.  GioUa  an  Ghoill 
Mac  Neill  was  the  last  King  of  the  Gaels,  who  possessed  Ceara :  he 
was  cotemporary  with  Taithleach  Mor  (son  of  Aodh  O'Dubhda),  who 
took  possession  of  the  country  extending  from  the  Eiver  Rodhba  to 
the  Codlmach,  and  was  interred  at  Bade  Tobair  Padraig'.  [And 
the  person  who  was  bishop*  in  the  time  of  these  kings  was  Mael  Isa 
Mag  Mailin]. 

CLANN 

Patrick  Mac  Loughlin,  in  his  abstract  of  Irish  race,  is  not  given  in  the  poem  of 

the  Book  of  Lecan,  thus  renders  this  pas-  Giollalosa  Mor  MacFirbis,  nor  in  the  Irish 

sage  : — "  Gilla  an  Ghoill  Mac  Neill  was  annals.     Taithleach  Mor,  the  son  of  Aodh 

the  last  lord  of  Ceara,  in  the  time  of  Taith-  O'Dubhda,  or  O'Dowda,  who  was  cotem- 

leach   Mor,   son  of  Aodh  O'Dowde,  and"  porary  with  him,  was  killed  in  the  year 

[recte  who]    "possessed   from   Eodba  to  1 197,  according  to  the  Four  Masters.  The 

Codnach,  and  was  buried  at  Bally  tobair  Bishop  Mael  Isa  Mac  Mailin  would  seem  to 

Padraig.     Their  cotemporary  bishop  was  have  been  Archbishop  of  Tuam,  but  no 

Mselisa  Mac  Mailin."     The  name  of  this  notice  of  him  is  found  in  the  Annals  of 

last  lord  or  King  of  Ceara,  of  the  ancient  the  Four  Masters,  or  in  Ware's  Bishops. 


i6o 


CCQNM  cuaiN  siosaMQ. 

Clann   Cuain   iiinoppo,   aoa   neaparh    t)o   Clieajia    lap    n-gaol 

^enealai^,   uaip  ay  oo  cloinn  Gpc  Culbuibe,  mic  piacpac,  ooib 

apaon. 

O'Cumn,  O'TTlaoilpfona,  a^uj"  TTlag  phlanna^ain,  cpi   caoip^ 

Cloinne  Cuain.     Q^up  pip  Uhipe  ainm  ele  61,  a^up  pip  Sifiipe  a 

li-amm  ele,  o'n  abainn  o'dn  h-amm   Siuip  ceD  Idirh  ]ie  Caiplen  an 

bliappai^  amu^. 

Cuan  (mac   Gacac,  inic  pioinn,  mic    peapaboi^,    nmc   l?opa 

OoiTTin^,  nmc  TTlaine  TTluiribpic,  mic  Gpc  Culbui6e,  mic  piacpac), 

ap  Dia  cloinn  Clann  Cnam  co  n-a   cmeaooib,  amuil  appepc  an 

]iann  : 

Cuan  nriop,  mac  Gacac  pel, 

Ua6a  Clann  Cuain  clai6-pe6, 

Qgup  Pip  Ufpe  na  t>-cpeab, 

Ome  ^an  cion  6  cpeDeam. 

Qp 

'^  In  point  of  genealogical  relationship. —  castle  of  Barry,  or  Barry's  castle,  and  there 

Vide  supra,  page  1 7,  where  the  genealogy  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  received  that  name 

of  Cuan,  the  ancestor  of  the  Clann  Cuain,  from  a  castle  erected  there  shortly  after 

is  given.  the  English  invasion  by  one  of  the  family 

^  A  river  of  the  name  Siuir This  river  of  De  Barry,  who  was  afterwards  driven 

is  not  mentioned  in  the  poem,  and  the  out.  Downing,  who  wrote  a  short  descrip- 

name  is  now  obsolete,  unless  Toormore  tion  of  the  county  of  Mayo,  about  the  year 

river  be  a  corruption  of  it.  1 680,   for   Sir  William  Petty's  intended 

'  Caislen  an  Bharraigh,  written  Caislen  Atlas,  thus  speaks  of  this  town  : 

an  Bharraich  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  "  Next  to  Belcarra,  four  miles  distant, 

82,  b,  b.     This  is  the  name  by  which  the  stands  Castle-Barry,  a  corporation.     It  is 

town  of  Castlebar,  in  the  barony  of  Carra,  called  in  the  king's  writ  the  most  western 

is  called  at  the  present  day,  and  in  the  corporation,   and  a  very  fair,  large  bawn 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  years  and  two  round  towers  or  castles  therein, 

141 2,   1576,   and  1582.     It  signifies   the  and  a  good  large  house  in  the  possession 


i6i 


CLANN  CUAIN  DOWN  HEEE. 

The  Clann  Cuain  are  the  next  to  the  men  of  Ceara  in  point  of 
genealogical  relationship^  for  they  are  both  of  the  race  of  Earc  Cul- 
buidhe,  the  son  of  Fiachra. 

O'Cuinn,  O'Maoilfhiona,  and  Mag  Fhlannagain  ivere  the  three 
chiefs  of  Clann  Cuain.  They  are  otherwise  called  Fir  Thire,  and  also 
Fir  Siuire,  from  a  river  of  the  name  Siuir",  which  flows  by  the  town, 
at  this  day  called  Caislen  an  Bharraigh'. 

Cuan  (son  of  Eochaidh,  son  of  Flann,  son  of  Fearadhach,  son  of 
Ros  Doimtheach,  son  of  Maine  Muinbreac,  son  of  Earc  Culbhuidhe, 
son  of  Fiachra)  is  the  ancestor  of  the  Clann  Cuain  with  their  corre- 
latives, as  the  rann  says  : 

Cuan  Mor,  son  of  the  generous  Eochaidh, 
From  him  are  the  Clann  Cuain  of  smooth  mounds, 
And  the  Fir  Thire  of  tribes, 
A  people  without  fault  in  faith. 

The 

of  Sir  John  Bingliam,  and  his  heir,   the  a  fair  hill  over  a  small  river.    It  is  said  to 

youngest  of  the  three  knights  Binghams  have  been,  before  the  foundation  thereof, 

that  commanded  since  Queen  Elizabeth's  a   manor-house   belonging   to    the    Lord 

time;  that   is,   he  left  it  to  Sir  Henry  Barry,  about  the  beginning  of  the  English 

Bingham's  nephew,  having  no  issue  of  his  invasion.     Certain  it   is,    that  upon  the 

own  body.  This  castle  did  formerly  belong  beginning  thereof,  the  Fitzgeralds,  ances- 

to  the  Burkes  ;  first  of  all  after  the  in-  tors  of  the  Earls  of  Desmond  and  Ealdare, 

vasion  it  is  said  to  have  belonged  to  the  the  Lord  Barons  of  Kerry,  and  the  Barrys 

Barrys,  of  whom  it  took  its  name."  had  large  possessions  in  the  counties  of 

Again,  in   speaking  of  the   priory  of  Mayo   and  Sligoe,  till  they  were  driven 

Ballyhaunis,  the  same  writer  has  the  fol-  thereout  by  one  Burke."     He  might  also 

lowingnoticeof  the  family  of  Barry  having  have  added  the  family  of  Butler,  for  the 

had  possessions  in  this  country  :  —  "  It"  abbey  of  Burrishoole  was  erected  by  one 

[the  priory  of  Bellahawnus]  "  stands  on  of  them  shortly  after  the  English  invasion. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12.  Y 


l62 

Q]^  1  pocainn  p^aprana  Cloinne  Cuain  a^up  pheap  Ulifpe  pe 
Clannuib  phiacpac,  .1.  Ruaibpi  TTIeap,  mac  Uaiulij,  nnic  Nell  1 
Ouboa,  pi  '^ct  paibe  6  l?66ba  50  Cobnai^,  Do  cuai6  ap  cuaipr  pi^ 
50  ceac  Dhorhnuill  Ui  Cuinn,  caoipi^  Cloinne  Cuain ;  a^up  ay 
ariiluiD  t)o  pdla  in^ean  dluinn  aoncurha  ag  O'Cumn  an  can  pm, 
agup  nip  ^ab  O'Duboa  ^an  a  ber  aige  a  b-poipe^ean  in  oiDce  pin, 
gup  po  rhapb  O'Cuinn  1  b-pill  epion  lap  na  rhdpac,  agup  Do  cuaib 
pen  po  biDean  Cloinne  niaoilpuanuib,  .1.  50  Uomaluac  lllop  TTlac 
DiapmaDa,  agup  cugy^aD  lao  pen,  agup  a  n-Oubcup  Doib  6  pin  gup 
amug. 

Coni6  pip  Uhipe  ruap,  agup  pip  Siuipe  abup  laD  pm  6'n 
abainn,  arhuil  a  oubpamap  porhuinn. 

cT^iochaiReachc  ua  N-amhaf.5ait)h,  a^us  ua  6b-piach- 

RQCh  aWNSO,  CO  N-a  N-t)UDhChUSaChai6h. 

Q  1i-loppu]>  ceuDamup  epnigueap  an  ceuD  Dubcap. 
O'Caiuniab,  umoppo,  uippig  loppaip,  agup  O'Ceallacdm  roipioc 

loppuip. 

''  Ruaidhri  Mem\  the  son  of  Taithleach  of  Taitlileacli,  mac  Neill  O'Dowde  being 

0''Dubhda — See  Notes  to  the   poem  of  prince  from  Eodba  to  Codnacli,  and  going 

Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis.  on  his  cuaird  rig  to  the  house  of  Donal 

^  Tomaltach  Mor  Mac  Dermot.  —  This  O'Quin,  the  dynast  of  Clan  Cuain,  whose 

sentence  should  be  written  thus:  "So  that  beautiful   daughter   was   forcibly   disho- 

O'Cuinn  slew  him  treacherously  on  the  noured  by  that  lord.  In  revenge  the  father 

next  day,  and  then  fled  and  placed  him-  killed  him  the  following  day,  and  fled  for 

self  under  the   protection  of  the  Clann  refuge  to  Clan  Maelruaua,  to  Tomultach 

Maoilruanaidli,  of  whom  Tomaltach  Mor  Mor  Mac  Dermod,  who  protected  him  and 

Mac  Dermot  Avas  the  chief,"  &c.    The  Rev.  gave  him  his  duchas?''     This  is  well  ex- 

P.  Mac  Loughlin,  in  his  abstract  of  the  plained,  except  the  last  clause,  "  and  gave 

Book  of  Lecan,   understands   the   above  him  his  duchas,''''  which  conveys  a  wrong 

passage   as   follows  :  —  "  Thus  were   the  idea,  for  the  meaning  of  the  original  is, 

Clan  Cuain,  or  Fir  Tire,  separated  from  that  O'Quin  transferred  his  duchas,  or  pa- 

the  Clan  Fiachra,  viz.,  Roderick  Mear,  son  trimonial  inheritance,  to  Mac   Dermott, 


i63 

The  cause  of  the  separation  of  the  Clann  Cuain  and  the  Fir  Thire 
from  the  Clann  Fiachrach,  was  this  :  Euaidhri  Mear"',  the  son  of 
Taithleach,  son  of  Niall  O'Dubhda,  a  king  who  had  possession  oithe 
country  extending  from  the  Rodhba  to  the  Codhnach,  went  on  a 
regal  visitation  to  the  house  of  Domhnall  O'Cuinn,  chief  of  Clann 
Cuain ;  and  it  happened  that  O'Cuinn  had  at  that  time  a  beautiful 
marriageable  daughter,  and  O'Dubhda  did  not  content  himself  without 
getting  her  by  force  that  night,  so  that  O'Cuinn  slew  him  treache- 
rously on  the  next  day,  and  went  himself  under  the  protection  of  the 
Clann  Maoilruanaidh,  viz.,  of  Tomaltach  Mor  Mac  Dermof",  and  they 
[the  Clann  Cuain']  gave  themselves  and  their  patrimonial  inheritance 
up  to  them,  which  continues  so  from  that  to  the  present  day. 

These  are  called  Fir  Thire  upper,  and  Fir  Siuire  abhus  (citra) 
from  the  river,  as  we  have  said  before. 

THE  TEKRITOKIAL   DISTRIBUTION    OF   HY-AMHALGAIDH^    AND    HY-FIACH- 
EACH^  HEEE  ;  WITH  THEIR  HEREDITARY  PROPRIETORS. 

In  lorrus  first  the  first  estate  is  bestowed. 

O'Caithniadh   was  the   chief  of  lorrus,  and  O'Ceallachain  the 

toiseach. 

and  acknowledged  Mm  as  Ms  chief  lord  in  dia,    p.    864,    also   O'Flaherty's   Ogygia, 

place  of  O'Dowd,  to  whom,  in  consequence  Part  III.  c.  87. 

of  Ms  barbarous  conduct,  he  refused  to  ==  Hy-Fiachrach,  must  be  here  under- 

acknowledge  fealty  for  the  future.  stood  as  applied  to  Tir  Fhiachrach  Mu- 

y  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  now  the  barony  of  aidhe,  or  the  barony  of  Tireragh,  not  to 

Tirawley,   in  the  county  of  Mayo,   still  the  entire  territory  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach, 

called  in  Irish  Tir  Amhalgaidh,  i.  e.  the  which  extended  from  the  Eiver  Eobe  to 

land  or  territory  of  Amhalgaidh.     It  de-  the  Eiver  Codhnach  at  Drumcliff,  below 

rived  that  name  from  Amhalgaidh,  King  the  town  of  Sligo.    The  people  inhabiting 

of  Connaught,  the  brother  of  the  monarch  this  district  derived  the  patronymic  appel- 

Dathi See   list  of  the   Kings   of  Con-  lation  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  i.  e.  Nepotes  Fi- 

naught  further  on,  and  Ussher's  Primor-  achrii,    from   Fiachra   Foltsnathach,   the 

Y  2 


164 

lojipinp.      bpujaba  lojipuip,   .1.  TTlec   Coinfn,   a^up  Ui  Conboipne 
ajup  Ui  TTluirhneacain,  a^iip  Ui  J^ctjiabdin,  a^up  TTleg  phfondin. 

Oubcupai^  Duna  pine,  .i.  Uf  Ciiinn,  a^up  TTle^  Obpdin,  a^up 
Ui  CoTTibdin,  agup  Ui  Duibleap^a,  ajupUi  beap^a,  agupUi  bli^e, 
ajuy*  Uf  Duanmai^e;  O'RaDubain  6  bliaile  an  jleanoa.  TTlec 
Conlecpeac  6  bliaile  TTlec  Conlecpeac,  O'Con^aile,  a^up  O'Cac- 
upai^,  aipcinm^  Cille  Qpoub.  Uaoipioc  an  bagdin,  .1.  O'TTluip- 
eaboig;  O'Pionnagain  6'n  phionncalairh. 

piNeatDha  wa  6Reut)cha  suno. 

CCogba  caoipioc  na  bpeiiDca ;  O'buacdm  ip  in  lee  ciap  Do'n 
blipeuDaig,  a^up  Ua  ^^^^^5  O'^^o^i^ii^  d  Pdic  na  n-soipm^iall ; 
O'^dibceacdm,  a^up  O'TTlaoilpiona,  od  caoipioc  Chalpai^e ; 
O'piainn,  bpu^aiD  TTlin^e  h-Glea5;  O'baccna,  caoipioc  an  Oa 
bhac,  a^up  ^l^eanna  Nerhcinne;  baccnaTTlac  pipbipig;  O'piann- 
^aile  ap  boc  '^linne  co  n-a  peapann ;  O'pioinn  1  n-Oipearh  boca 
Con  ;  O'TTIaoilpuanaib  d  Ii-Qpt)aca6,  agup  6  Chill  bealaD,  no  o 
Chill  Galat) ;  0'h-6neacdin  o  bhaile  Ui  Gineacain  ;  O'beaccaile 
6  bhaile  TTlui^e  puapa;  TTlec  Conlena  6  Chill  nioip  TTIuaiDe  ; 
O'Duba^dm,  agup  Ui  Qipmeaboi^,  6  boc  TTluije  bpon ;  Clann 
phipbipi^,  pileaDa  Ua  n-Qrhal^aiD,  6  T?op  Sepce. 

Ui  Gacac  THuaioe,  .1.  6  T?op  Sepce  50  peappaiD  Upepi,  ap  lao 

po  a  cineaooi  j,  .1.  Ui  TTIaoilpa^rhaip,  connopbaba  Cille  h-Qllai6, 

a^up  Ua  beanodm,  Ua  Cpiaibcen,  Ua  baicile,  Ua  TTlocdin,  Ua 

TTlaoilaLrgen,  Ua  bpoouib,  a^up  Ua  TYlaoilbpenuinn. 

Ip 

father  of  King  Datlii ;  and  the  inhabitants  the  descendants  of  this  latter  Fiachra  sub- 

of  Tireragh  received  their  name  of  Hy-  dued  the  Hy-Amhalgaidh  at  an  early  pe- 

Fiachrach   Muaidhe   from    Fiachra    Eal-  riod. 

gach,  the  son  of  King  Dathi,  and  grand-  *  Fiomichalamh^   i.  e.   the  fair  callow, 

son  of  the  great  ancestor  of  all  the  Hy-  strath,  or  holm.     This  place  is  not  men- 

Fiachrach.     It  should  be  remarked  that  tioned  in  the  poem,  and  the  name  being 


i65 

toiseach  of  lorrus.  The  Brughaidhs  of  lorrus  were  the  families  of 
Mac  Coinin,  O'Conboirne,  O'Muimhneacliain,  O'Gearadliain,  and 
Mag  Fhionain. 

The  hereditary  proprietors  of  Dun  Fine  were  the  families  of 
O'Cuinn,  Mag  Odhrain,  O'Comhdhain,  O'Duibhlearga,  O'Bearga, 
O'Bhghe,  O'Duanmaighe,  O'Radubhain  of  Baile  an  ghleanna,  Mac 
Conletreach  of  Baile  Mec  Conletreach,  O'Conghaile  and  O'Cathasaigh, 
airchinnechs  of  Cill  Ardubh.  The  chief  of  the  Lagan  was  O'Muireadh- 
aigh  ;  O'Fionnagain  of  Fionnchalamh''. 

THE  TRIBES  OF  BREUDACH"   [eTc]  HERE. 

0'Toghdhaz6'a5  chief  of  Breadach;  O'Luachain,  in  the  western  side 
of  Breudach,  and  also  O'GiHn;  O'Gloinin  of  Rath  na  n-goirmghiall; 
O'Gaibhtheachain  and  O'Maoilf  hiona,  were  the  two  chiefs  of  Calraighe ; 
O'Flainn,  brughaidh  of  Magh  h-Eleag;  O'Lachtna  was  chief  of  the  two 
Bacs,  and  of  Gleann  Nemhthinne ;  Lachtna  was  a  Mac  Firbis ; 
(3'Flanngaile  was  over  Loch  GUnne,  with  its  land;  O'Floinn  in  Oireamh 
of  Loch  Con ;  O'Maoilruaidh  of  Ard  achadh  and  of  Cill  Bealad,  or 
Cill  Ealad ;  O'h-Eineachain  of  Baile  Ui  Eineachain ;  O'Leathcaile 
of  the  townland  of  Magh  Fuara ;  Mac  Conlena  of  Cill  mor  Muaidhe ; 
O'Dubhagain  and  0' Airmeadhaigh  of  Loch  Muighe  Broin,  and  the 
Clann  Firbisigh,  the  poets  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh  of  Ros  Serce. 

Hy-Eachach  Muaidhe  extends  from  Ros  Serce  to  Fearsad  Tresi. 

These   are  its   tribes,  viz.,    O'Maoilfaghmhair,   comharbas   of  Cill 

AUaidh,  O'Leannain,  O'Criaidhchen,  O'Laitile,  O'Mochain,  O'Maoil- 

aithghen,  O'Broduibh,  and  O'Maoilbhrenuinn. 

The 

lost,  it  cannot  be  now  satisfactorily  iden-  Vide  supra,  p-  51. 

tified.    It  appears  from  the  poem  that  it         ^  The  tribes  of  Breudhach  here.  —  This 

was  a  part  of  the  Lagan,  and  evidently  section  includes  more  than  the  tribes  of 

the  south-eastern  part  of  it,  adjoining  the  Breudach,  and  the  Editor  has  therefore 

territory  of  the  Hy-Eathach  Muaidhe taken  the  liberty  to  add  "&c."  in  brackets. 


i66 

If  laD  yo  cinea6ai5  an  Cliaille  (no  Chaoile)  Chonuill,  a^uf 
ay^  ea6  pea6  an  Chaille,  6  piieappaiD  Upepi  50  'Cpai^  TTlupbai^, 
.1.  'C]\a^■^  Ceall,  a^up  bo  uuaij;  50  Cill  Cuimfn,  .1.  Ua  Oepi^,  Ua 
h-Qoba  QipD  O'n-Qo6a,  Ua  TTlaolconaipe,  Ua  piannabpa,  a^up 
Ua  Sej;pa,  a^up  app  ofb  Ui  Chon5at)dn,  no  Chonna^din  6  TTlui^ 
garhnac,  O'h-Ctpctin  o  QpD^abail.  Durab  an  Chaeille  bno  baile 
na  Leacan  6  pheappait)  '^o  'Cpai^  TTlupbai^,  ■]c.,  a  Dep  lebup  ele. 

t)ut)hcusai5h  ciRe  piachi^ach  siosawa. 

t)urai6  Ui  TTlhopain,  .1.  QpD  na  pia^,  a^up  a  raoipijeacr,  .1. 
an  cuac  ap  pan  50  Uuaini  oa  06ap ;  O'bpo^dm  6  bhpecrhai^h. 

Cerpe  caoipi^  pop  Chuil  Cheapnaba,  6  bheul  Qca  na  n-i6ea6 
50  bealac  bpeucrhuige,  .1.  Ua  pionnam,  Ua  Rocldin,  Ua  lopndin 
(no  Ua  Uuaralain),  agup  Ua  Cuinn,  0'h-6ana  1  n-lmleac  Loipge. 
O'^eald^an  6  Chill  lochcaip,  .i.  an  ^hpdmpioc;  O'bpeplen  o  Chill 
phamole,  no  Qint)le. 

Ouram  Ui  Chaorham,  6  Uhuaim  od  bhobap  50  ^leoip,  a^up 
ap  lat)  a  pineaba  bubcupa,  .1.  mac  Cailleacan,  no  Caoilleacan,  no 
Celeacan  6'n  Chdpn,  a^up  O'Coicil,  6  bhaile  Ui  Choicil,  O'pioinn 
o'n  bheapcpai^,  agup  6  TTIhuic6uib,  O'TTlocaine,  6  bhaile  Ui  TTloch- 
ume ;  O'h-lorhaip  6  beacan;  Clann  phipbipi^  6  beacan  TTleic 
phipbipi^  lapam,  baile  ap  leapai^iob  lebaip  aipipion,  annalac, 
ouan,  a^up  p^ol  peancupa,  a^up  i  n-ap  cojaib,  e6  cian  laparh, 
Ciorpuam,  agup  Semup,  bd  rhac  Oiapmaba  Caoic  TTIeic  phipbipi^, 

agup 

•=  Tir  Fhiachrach,  pronounced  Tiriach-  daries  of  Cuil  Cearnadlia  are  differently 

rach,  now  the  barony  of  Tireragh,  in  the  described.      Beal   atlia   na    n-idheadh  is 

county  of  Sligo.  still  well  known,   and  is  the  name  of  a 

^  Beul  atha  na  n-idheadh,  i.  e.  mouth  of  ford  on  the  Abhainn  bhuidhe,  or  Yellow 

the  ford  of  the  washings.     This  name  is  river  at  Moorbrook,  about  a  mile  and  a 

not  given  in  the  poem,  in  which  the  boun-  half  north  from  the  little  town  of  Fox- 


167 

The  following  are  the  tribes  of  Caille  (or  Caoille)  Conaill,  which 
extends  from  Fearsad  Tresi  to  Traigh  Murbhaigh,  that  is,  Traigh 
Ceall,  and  northwards  to  Cill  Cuimin,  viz.,  O'Derig,  O'h-Aodha  of 
Ard  O'n  Aodha,  O'Maolchonaire,  O'Flannabhra,  and  O'Seaghsa.  And 
of  them  also  are  the  families  q/"  O'Congadan,  or  O'Connagain  of 
Magh  gamhuach,  O'h-Arain  of  Ardgabhail.  The  district  of  Caeille 
is  Baile  na  leacan,  from  the  Fearsad,  to  Traigh  Murbhaigh,  &c.,  ac- 
cording to  another  book. 

THE  HEREDITAEY  PROPRIETORS  OF  TIR  FHIACHRACH*^  DOWN  HERE. 

The  estate  of  O'Morain,  i.  e.  Ard  na  riagh,  and  his  chieftainship  the 
district  thence  to  Tuaim  da  Odhar.     O'Broo-ain  of  Breachmhagh. 

There  were  four  chiefs  over  Cuil  Chearnadha,  which  extends  from 
Beul  Atha  na  n-idheadh''  to  the  road  of  Breachmhagh,  namely, 
O'Fionain,  O'E-othlain,  O'h-Iornain  (or  O'Tuathalain),  and  O'Cuinn. 
O'h-Eana  of  Imleach  loisge ;  O'Gealagain  of  Cill  lochtair,  i.  e.  Grain- 
seach ;  O'Breslen  of  Cill  Fhaindle,  or  Cill  Ainnle. 

The  country  of  O'Caomhain  extends  from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar  to 
Gleoir,  and  his  hereditary  tribes  or  retainers  ivere  the  families  o/'Mac 
Cailleachan,  or  Caoilleachan,  or  Ceallachan  of  Carn;  O'Coitil  of 
Baile  Ui  Choitil ;  O'Floinn  of  Beartrach  and  of  Mucdhubh ; 
O'Mochaine  of  Baile  Ui  Mhochaine  ;  O'h-Iomhair  of  Leacan ; — (the 
Clann  Firbhisigh  were  of  Leacan  Mhic  Fhirbhisigh  afterwards,  where 
they  wrote  books  of  history,  annals,  poetry,  and  kept  a  school  of  his- 
tory; and  where,  a  long  time  after  their  original  settlement  there, 
Ciothruaidh  and  James,  the  two  sons  of  Diarmaid  Caoch  Mac  Firbis, 

and 

ford,  in  the  barony  of  Gallen,  and  coun-  tended  between  them,  forming  a  kind  of 

ty  of  Mayo.      Travellers  going  from  Fox-  rude  bridge  across  it,  which  is  frequently 

ford  to  Ballina  cross  this  ford  ;  and  there  carried  off  by  the  heavy  floods  to  which 

are  four  heaps  of  stones  with  sticks  ex-  the  Abhainn  bhuidhe  is  subject. 


i68 


agup  Seaan  O5,  mac  Uilliam,  Deapbpdraip  a  n-aua]i,  caiflen 
Leacain  TTlec  phipbifi^,  an  bliabain  o'aoip  ChpiopD,  1560; — 
OXoinjpiocain  6  ITihullac  jictra;  O'Sbealam  o'n  ChoilUn,  a^up 
ap  e  t)o  jiinne  an  pair  rhop.  O'pualaip^  6  Pair  beapcdin ; 
O'Conoaccain  ap  in  Cabpai^. 

baile  pinpu  Ui  Chaorham,  .1.  Sai6in  Uip^e  rap  abainn,  o'd 
n-^oipueap  Imp  S^peabainn.  ^^  diprhireap  Clann  Nell  t>o  ^abail 
an  peapuinn  pin,  ni  rpe  ceapr  oubcupa  po  ^abpat),  ace  ap  egin, 
lap  mapbat)  OaibiD  Ui  Chaorham,  a^up  Oorhnaill  Ui  Chaorham, 
50  paibe  Clann  Nell  cpeall  'pet  raoipijeacc,  ^iip  mapbaD  Niall, 
mac  Nell  la  IDuipceapcac  b-pionn  Ua  Caorhain  1  n-tDio^ail  a 
popba. 

O  5^''^^o^P  50  h-lapgai^,  OTTlupcaba,  no  O'TTIaoiltDum  a 
CQoipioch.  DucaiD  Ui  Ruabpac  Ciacon,  a^up  loccap  Rdca. 
O'Penneaba  6  pinn^io,  ^up  bean  TTIuinceap  piannjaile  Dib  1,  oep 
a  5-copa  6  n-Du6cup  6  loc  anuap  Do  ^hallaib ;  O'lTlaoilouin 
a  h-lmleac  (pioll;  6  Cuacdin  6  l?op  Caoj ;  6  Ouibp^uile  6  Dun 

TTlaoilouip 

^  £n  the  year  1560 This  passage  about 

the  settlement  of  the  Mac  Firbises,  at 
Lecan,  is  added  by  our  author.  There  is 
no  mention  of  the  Mac  Firbises  being  at 
Lecan  in  the  copy  of  this  prose  list  pre- 
served in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  or  in  the 
poem  of  GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis.  This 
castle  does  not  appear  to  have  been  a  full 
century  in  the  possession  of  the  Mac  Fir- 
bises, for  it  is  stated  in  an  Inquisition 
taken  at  Sligo  on  the  22nd  of  August, 
1625,  that  Donnogh  O'Dowde  was  seized 
of  the  castle,  town,  and  quarters  of  Lackan 
M'Ffirbissy  and  other  lands,  which  he 
settled  by  deed,  dated  the  20th  August, 


1 61 7,  to  the  use  of  his  wife  Onora  Ny 
Connor,  for  their  lives,  and  then  to  the 
use  of  his  own  right  heirs.  This  castle  is 
still  standing,  and  now  known  by  the 
name  of  Castle  Forbes.  It  is  situated  east 
of  the  Moy  in  the  parish  of  Kilglass,  ba- 
rony of  Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo. 

f  That  erected  the  great  rath^  i.  e.  that 
formed  the  great  rath  or  earthen  fort  in 
the  townland  of  CoiEin.  This  fact  is  not 
mentioned  in  the  poem.  The  townland  of 
Culleen  is  situated  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 
glass, in  the  barony  of  Tireragh  ;  it  con- 
tains several  small  raths  or  forts  ;  that 
which  is  here  caUed  the  Eathmor  or  the 


169 

and  John  Og,  the  son  of  Wilham,  their  father's  brother,  erected  the 
castle  of  Leacan  Mac  Firbis,  in  the  year  of  the  age  of  Christ  1 560^ ;) — 
O'Loingseachain  of  MuUach  Ratha;  O'Sbealain  of  CoiUin,  and  it 
was  he  that  erected  the  great  rath*^ ;  O'Fualairg  of  Rath  Bearchain  ; 
and  O'Connachtain  of  Cabrach. 

The  chief  seat  of  O'Caomhain  was  Saidhin  Uisge  tar  abhainn, 
which  is  otherwise  called  Inis  Sgreabhainn^.  Though  it  is  said  that 
the  Clann  Neill  took  these  lands,  it  was  not  by  hereditary  right  they 
took  them,  but  by  force,  after  having  slain  David  O'Caomhain  and 
Domhnall  O'Caomhain,  so  that  the  Clann  Neill  were  for  a  while  in 
the  chieftainship,  until  Niall,  son  of  Niall,  was  slain  by  Muircheartach 
Fionn  O'Caomhain,  in  revenge  for  the  loss  o/'his  land. 

Of  the  tract  extending  from  the  river  Gleoir  to  the  lasgach 
O'Murchadha,  or  O'Maolduin,  was  the  chieftain.  The  estate  of 
O'Ruadhrach  was  Lia  Con,  and  lochtar  ratha.  O'Fenneadha  was  pro- 
prietor of  Finnghid  until  the  family  of  O'Flannghaile''  took  it  from 
him,  after  they  had  been  driven  from  their  own  estate  from  the 
lake  downwards  by  the  English.  O'Maoilduin  of  Imleach  iseal; 
O'Luachain  of  Ros  laogh  ;  O'Duibhscuile  of  Dun  Maoilduibh.     The 

estate 

great  fort,  was  probably  at  the  hamlet  of  Sligo,  on  which  it  is  placed,  near  the  mar- 
Rath  macarkey,  at  the  east  side  of  the  Cul-  gin  of  the  "  Bay  of  the  Moye"  (now  Kill- 
leen  river,  but  it  is  now  effaced.  ala  bay),  opposite  the  Island  of  Bartragh, 

s  Inis  Sgreabhainn,  called  Sais  Sgrebh-  and  in  the  parallel  of  Killala. 

aind  in  the  poem,  but  probably  by  a  mis-  ^  O' Flannghaile^  now  Flannelly.     It  is 

take  of  the  transcriber.    This  place,  which  stated  in  the  poem  that  the  O'Flannellys 

is  now  called  in  English   Inishcrone,   is  took  possession  of  this  land  after  the  e'xtir- 

styled  Eiscir  abhann,  in  the  Annals  of  the  pation  of  the  family  of  O'Feineadha,  but 

Four  Masters,  at  the  year  151 2,  and  Us-  no  allusion  is  made  to  the  expulsion  of 

karowen  Castle,   on   an   old  Map  in  the  the   O'Flannellys  from  the  lake  by  the 

State  Paper  Office,  London,  showing  part  English. 
of  the    coast    of  Donegal,    Leitrim,   and 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  Z 


170 

TTlaoilouip.  O'RorlaiT)  ay  1  a  6uuai6  Cluain  na  ^-Cliabac,  ajup 
aiu  phaiiannain,  gup  beanpaD  muiTiui|i  TTlaonaij  t)ib  cpe  meabuil 
nac  i-5|ifobca|i  f\mt>.  O'beollan  6  Dhun  UlluaiTi ;  6  Conbuibe 
6  bliaile  TTlec  ^lo^^acai]^,  agu]-  6  Dhun  Nell  mic  Conbuibe,  a^up 
Cuandn  mac  Conbuibe,  6  b-puil  Uam  Cuandin,  a^up  dipTYiiceap 
5up  ob  6  O'Conbume  ap  raoipoc  6  Dhun  Nell  50  TTluipp^e;  a^up 
a  oep  Ceabap  balb  Shemuip  Hlic  phipbip^,  ^up  ob  e  O'Conbuibe 
ba  caoipioc  6  bheul  Qua  Cliac  muippge  50  li-lapcm^.  TTlec 
eo^ain  ajup  Ui  Cuandn  6  Dhun  m-becm;  O'Dip^in  6  bhaile  Ui 
Dhipcfn;  6  Dun^aile,  a^up  O'Suibleap^a,  a^up  6  Cuain,  6  Dhun 
Ui  Chobuai^;  O'Colmain  o'n  n-^pdinpij  TTlhoip  ;  O'puala  o'n 
n-5painpi5  bhi^;  O'Ceallai^  6  QpD  O's-Ceallai^ ;  OXoingpi^, 
ajup  O'Caorhain  an  Chuippi^  6  TTlhume  na  b-pia6  [no  TTluine 
6ia6  aniu]. 

O'piann^aile  1  n-Gacpop ;  TTIac  ^lolla  na  n-eac,  lli  phlann- 
^aile,  agup  TTlac  giolla  t)uib  'yna  Copcacaib;  O'Sionna  a  bdrpac. 
ColaTTiuin  na  S^pfne,  .1.  TTlec  Concarpac,  a^up  Ui  Oilrhec,  a^up 
TTle^  T?6Ddn,   agup  Ui   Snea6apna,  a^up  O'Rabapcai^.      bebup 

balb 

'  %  a  treachery  which  shall  not  he  written  the  fort  of  Rath  Cuanain  derived  that  ap- 

here — This  is  not  in  the  copy  of  this  prose  pellation,  was  another  son  of  the  same 

list  preserved  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and  Cubuidhe.     It  should  be  here  remarked 

It  seems  to  have  been  added  by  our  author  that  the  word  Cit,  which  enters  so  largely 

from  the  Dumb  Book  of  James  Mac  Firbis,  into  the  proper  names  of  men  in  Ireland, 

which  seems  to  have  recorded  many  cu-  makes  Con  in  the  genitive  case,  and  Coin 

nous  historical  facts,  Avhich  the  families  in   the   dative   or   ablative.     It   signifies 

then  in  possession  of  tracts  of  land  wished  literally  a  dog,  and  figuratively  a  hero  or 

to  suppress.  fierce  warrior,  and  is  translated  canis  by 

J  Niall,  son  of  Cuhuidhe,  i.  e.  the  Niall  the   original   compiler  of  the   Annals  of 

after  whom  Dun  Neill,  i.  e.  Niall's  fort,  Ulster. 

was  called,  was  a  son  of  Cubuidhe,   the         ^  From  Ath  cliath  Muirsge This  is  not 

progenitor  of  the  family  of  O'Conbuidhe,  in  the  copy  of  this  prose  list  preserved  in 

now  Conway;  and  the  Cuanan  from  whom  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and  has  been  added 


171 

estate  of  O'Rothlain  was  Cluain  na  gcliabhacli  and  Alt  Fharannain, 
until  tlie  family  of  O'Maonaigii  deprived  them  of  it  by  a  treachery 
which  shall  not  be  written  here' ;  O'Beollan  of  Dun  UUtain ;  O'Con- 
bhuidhe  of  Baile  Mec  GioUachais,  and  of  Dun  Neill,  which  is  called 
from  Niall,  son  of  CubuidheJ,  and  Cuanan,  from  whom  Eath  Cuanain, 
was  another  son  of  Cubuidhe ;  and  it  is  said  that  O'Conbhuidhe  was 
once  chief  of  the  tract  extending  from  Dun  Neill  to  Muirisg ;  and  the 
Dumb  Book  of  James  Mac  Firbis  states  that  O'Conbhuidhe  was.  chief 
of  the  tract  extending  from  Ath  cliath  Muirsge''  to  the  river  lascach. 
The  families  of  Mac  Eoghain  and  0' Cuanan  of  Dun  m-Becin ;  O'Dis- 
cin  of  Baile  Ui  Dhiscin;  O'Dunghaile,  O'Suidhlearga  and  O'Cuain 
of  Dun  Ui  Chobhthaigh  ;  O'Colmain  of  Grainseach  Mor ;  O'Fuala  of 
Grainseach  Beag;  O'Ceallaigh  of  Ard  O'g-Ceallaigh ;  O'Loingsigh 
and  O'Caomhain  an  Chuirrigh  of  Muine  na  bh-fiadh  [or  Muine 
dhiadh'  at  this  day]. 

O'Flannghaile  in  Eachros;  the  families  o/"Mac  GioUa  na  n-each, 
O'Flannghaile,  and  Mac  Giolla  duibh,  in  the  Corcachs ;  O'Sionna,  in 
Lathrach.  The  ])illsiTS  o^  Sgrin  were  the  families  of  Mac  Concath- 
rach,  O'h-Oilmhec,  Mag  Rodan,  O'Sneadharna  and  O'Rabhartaigh. 

The 

by  our  author  from  tlie  Dumb  Book  of  translation  of  their  Irish  name  A  tk  cliat/i, 

James  Mac  Firbis.  There  are  many  places  whereas  there  is  not  the  slightest  analogy 

in  Ireland  called  Atk  cliath,  i.  e.  the  ford  between  both  names.     For  the  situation 

of  hurdles,  which  arose  from  a  common  of  the  district  here  called  Muirisg,   see 

practice  among   the   ancient   Irish,   who  notes  to  the  topographical  poem  of  Giolla 

were  used  to  make  shallow  muddy  rivers  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis. 
fordable,  by  means  of  hurdles  or  kishes         ^  Muine  dhiadh — The  words,  enclosed  in 

laid   down  where   they  desired  to  pass,  brackets,    are  in  a  hand   more   modern 

Tlois  was  the  ancient  name  of  Dublin,  and  than  our  author's,  and  were  inserted  inter 

hence  the  habit  of  calling  obscure  places  lineas  in  Lord  Roden's  copy  of  his  larger 

in  remote  parts  of  the  country  by  the  name  work,  compiled  in  1 645,  evidently  by  one 

of  Dublin,  it  being  considered  a  proper  acquainted  with  the  locality. 

Z2 


172 

balb  Sliemuiy  TTlic  pinpbipi^,  Colarhuin  na  Supine,  .1.  TTluincip 
"Rabapcaij,  TTIac  Cappaoin,  Ui  piannjaile,  agup  O'Uappai^, 
Coloman  na  Supine,  agup  acaio  pi^  6  b-piiiacpac.  TTlab  um 
aimpip  pen,  ap  lat)  ap  oiibcupai^e  at)  chonaipc  a^  leanrhuin  ip  in 
Sgpfn,  .1.  ITIec  Cappaoin,  TTlec  ^lolla  na  n-eac,  a^iip  baoi  lappma 
t)'1b  Rabapcai^  innce,  gen  gup  legpioo  epicigib  ^ct^^F'^^  Qlban  a 
n-t)\i6cup  t)6ib. 

O'baorgaile  6  Cbluain  U^  Chop^paig ;  TTlec  ^lolla  pinn  (no 
TTlec  pinn  Ui  phlannguile),  6'n  Cearhaij;  TTlac  ^lolla  bpicin  6 
QpO  na  n-glap ;  TTlec  ^lolla  rhip  6  phionnabaip ;  TTlec  ^lolla 
piabaig  6  Cbpfochdn;  O'Cmran  6  TTluine  (no  bun)  pet)e ;  TTlec 
Conluain  (no  Qnluam)  6  Chuil  Cille  bbpicin;  TTlec  ^lolla  bbdin 
6  biop  na  pearhup ;  O'Duincinn  6  Doipe  na  n-Qcb  ;  0'h-Qo6a  6 
Uhoin  pe  50;  O'Duncaba  6  Choilluib  buigne  50  beal  dca  ITluice. 
biop  laD^uill  baile  puipc  na  cuaire  pin. 

O'bboppaig  50  "Cpai^  O'TTluipgeapa  a  D-caoipioc,  agup  ap  Dib 
Ui  TTTaonaig.  (Sain)  TTlec  pipbipig,  O'TTlaonai^,  agup  O'TTluip- 
geapa  cigeapnaba  na  cuaire  6  bboppaig  50  Updij.  O  bboppaig  50 
TTluippge,  0'TTlaoilt>iiin  caoipioc  na  cuaire  pm. 

6aif.ce  pumc  Ki^h  ua  bh-picichi^ach  qnm  so,  .1. 

Duma  Caocam  la  h-loppup,  Imp  TTlochua  ag  boc  Con.  Ganac 
Oubam;  T?dic  bpanouib  1  o-Uip  Qrhalgaib ;  Caiplen  (no  Dun)  ttiic 

Concabaip  ; 

^ Mac  Carraoin,  now  anglicised  Currin.  in  1672,  was  situated  on  this  townland, 

°   G'Tarpaigh,    now   anglicised    Torpy  but  Charles  O'Conor  states  that  he  was 

and  Tarpy.     The  townland  possessed  by  murdered  at  Dunflin,  which  is  in  the  same 

this  family  in  the  parish  of  Skreen  is  still  neighbourhood. 

called  in  Irish  Fearann  Ui  Tharpaigh,  and         °  Saxon  heretics  of  Alba This  passage, 

anglicised  Farranyharpy.     According   to  and  the  quotation  from  the  Dumb  Book 

the  present  tradition  in  the  country  the  of  James  Mac  Firbis,  have  been  added  by 

house  in  which  our  avithor  was  murdered  our  author.     The  Book  of  Lecan  orives 


173 

The  Dumb  Book  of  James  Mac  Firbis  enumerates  the  pillars  of 
Sgrin  as  follows  : — "  The  families  of  O'Rabhartaigh,  Mac  Carraoin"', 
O'Flannghaile,  and  O'Tarpaigh",  are  the  pillars  of  Sgrin,  and  the 
props  of  the  Kings  of  Hy-Fiachrach."  If  /  gim  them  as  tliey  if  ere 
in  my  own  time,  the  hereditary  proprietors  which  I  saw  remaining  in 
Sgrin,  were  the  families  of  Mac  Carraoin  and  Mac  GioUa  na  n-each, 
and  there  was  a  remnant  of  the  O'Rabhartaighs  there,  but  the  Saxon 
heretics  of  Alba°  did  not  leave  their  inheritance  to  them. 

O'Baothghaile  of  Cluain  Ui  Chosgraigh  ;  Mac  GioUa  Finn  (or 
Mac  Finn  O'Flannghaile)  of  Leamhach ;  Mac  Giolla  Bricin  of  Ard 
na  n-glas ;  Mac  Giolla  mhir  of  Fionnabhair ;  Mac  Giolla  riabhach  of 
Criochan ;  O'Liathan  of  Muine  Fede,  or  Bun  Fede ;  Mac  Conluain 
(or  Anluain)  of  Cuil  Cille  Bricin ;  Mac  Giolla  bhain  of  Lios  na 
reamhur ;  O'Duinchinn  of  Doire  na  n-ath ;  O'h-Aodha  of  Toin  re  go; 
O'Dunchadha  of  the  tract  extending  from  Coillte  Luighne  to  Beal 
atha  na  muice ;  Lios  Ladhghuill  is  the  chief  seat  of  that  district. 

Of  the  people  who  inhabited  the  tract  extending  from  Borrach  to 
the  Strand,  O'Muirgheasa  is  chieftain,  and  of  these  O'Maonaigh  is 
one.  According  to  a  different  authority  "  the  families  o/Mac  Firbis, 
O'Maonaigh,  and  O'Muirgheasa  were  lords  of  the  tract  extending 
from  Borrach  to  the  Strand."  From  Borrach  to  Muirisg,  O'Maoilduin 
is  chief  of  that  district. 

THE  CHIEF  SEATS  OF  THE  KINGS  OF  THE  HY-FIACHRACH  HERE,  VIZ.  : 

Dumha  Caochain,  in  lorrus ;  Inis  Mochua^,  at  Loch  Con ;  Eanach 
Dubhain ;  Rath  Branduibh,  in  Tir  Amhalgaidli ;  Caislen  mic  Con- 

chobhair, 

only  the  one  list  of  the  pillars  of  Skreen,  of  Saxon,  not  Milesian  or  Scotic  origin, 

namely,  the  first  given  in  the  text.     By  like  many  of  the  old  chieftain  families  of 

Saxon  heretics  of  Alba  our  author  means  the  Highlands, 
the  Scotch  settlers  in  Tireragh,  who  are         p  Inis  Mochua,   i.  e.  the  island  of  St. 


174 

Concabaip;  locrap  Pdra;  OunCinD  "Ciiearain  (no  Dun  Concyiea- 
rain),  an  Da  Dhpai^ni^  [Qp  liop  na  Dpai^ni^e  acd  babiin  cear- 
parhan  an  Cbaipill  aniu],  a^up  bun  pmne,  i  D-Uip  phiacpac. 

baile  puipc  Ui  Chaorham,  .i.  Soi^en  uiy^e  cap  abamn,  o'd 
n-goipreap  Imp^pebuinn.  baile  puipc  1  mhupcaba  ItyiIioc  fpioll, 
baile  puipc  Ui  Chonbuibe,  Dun  Mell. 

IRo  oibpeaoap  ^oill  cpa  na  caoipi^  pi  o'd  n-dicib  bunaib 
(noc  DO  ruipmeamap),  no  ^up  bean  Sen-bhpian,  mac  Uaicli^ 
TTluaiDe  Ui  Ohuboa,  an  cfp  (^oh-aipijce  Uip  pinacpac)  amac  Do 
^ballaib.  '^e  Do  bean,  umoppo,  paoilim  nac  mop  an  ^pem  Do 
^abpaD  lomaD  Do  na  caoipiocaib  ceuDna  ap  a  D-cuauaib  DuDcuip 
o  pin,  oip  Do  pomneaDap  clanna,  ui,  a^up  lapmui  Shen-bhpiain  an 
calarh  eacoppa  pen,  ^en  50  pealbuijiD  amu,  a^up  pop  ni  rhaipeann 
ace  pfp-bea^an  Do  na  caoipiocaib  pearhpaice  (Da  ma6  nf  a  plonnab 
DO  bee  beo,  nf  puil),  a^up  nf  h-ea6  arhdin  ace  ap  lon^naD  a^  aop  na 
n-aimpiop  pa  a  parhuil  piarh  Do  bee  1  5-ceannap,  epe  a  n-uaire  a^up 
a  n-anbpamne  amu.  ^iDeab  ap  puaill  Darhna  a  n-Deacpa  m  aie- 
peu^ain  bdl  an  Dorhum,  a^up  paobaD  na  pao^al,  agup  epe  ap  cuip 
Do   QipDeacap  ap  aicmeaboib  na  cpuinne  i   5-coiccmne,  ag  cup 

comipioc 

Mochua.     In  the  poem  of  Giolla  losa  Mor  their  inheritances. — Tliis  passage  is  not  in 

Mac  Firbis,  and  by  the  natives  at  the  pre-  the  copy  of  this  list  preserved  in  the  Book 

sent   day,  who    speak   Irish   remarkably  of  Lecan,  but  was  added  by  our  author 

well,  it  is  called  Iniscua.     It  is  anglicised  from  his  own  knowledge.     It  is  written 

Inishcoe.  in  a  very  ancient  style  of  Irish,  of  which 

*i  The  Bawn  of  Ceathramh  an  chaisil —  our  author  was  perfect  master. 

This  passage,  enclosed  in  parentheses,  is  ^  Sen  Bhrian.  —  He  died  in  the  year 

not  in  the  copy  of  this  list  preserved  in  1354,  after  having  ruled  the  Hy-Fiach- 

the  Book  of  Lecan,  but  was  inserted  into  rach  for  more  than  half  a  century,  so  that 

our  author's  text  by  some  person  who  his  great  grandsons  were  grown  up  before 

was  acquainted  with  the  locality.  his  death. 

*■  The  English  drove  these  chieftains  from  ^  Do  not  remain. — It  is  very  curious 


^7S 

diobhair,  or  Dun  mic  Concliobliair ;  loclitar  Ratha,  Dun  Cinn  tre- 
athain,  or  Dun  Contreathain,  the  two  Draighneachs  [on  Lios  na 
Draiglmiglie  is  tlie  Bawn  of  Ceatliramli  an  CliaisiP  at  this  day],  and 
Bun  Finne,  in  Tir  Fhiachrach. 

The  chief  seat  of  O'Caomhain  was  Soighen  Uisge  tar  abhainn, 
which  is  called  Inisgreabhuinn.  The  chief  seat  of  O'Murchadha  was 
Imlioch  Iseal,  and  the  chief  seat  of  O'Conbhuidhe  was  Dun  Neill. 

The  English  drove  these  chieftains'"  from  their  patrimonial  inhe- 
ritances (which  we  have  enumerated),  but  Sen  Bhrian",  son  of 
Taithleach  Muaidhe  O'Dubhda,  took  the  country  (particularly  Tir 
Fhiachrach)  from  the  English  ;  but  though  he  did,  I  think  that  many 
of  the  same  old  chieftains  did  not  get  much  hold  of  their  hereditary 
districts  from  him,  for  it  is  certain  that  the  sons,  grandsons,  and  great 
grandsons  of  Sen  Bhrian  divided  the  land  among  themselves,  though 
they  do  not  possess  it  at  this  day.  And  moreover,  but  very  few  of 
theldescendants  of  the  chieftains  already  mentioned  tzoz^  exist  (even 
their  very  surnames,  were  they  of  any  importance,  do  not  remain^)  ; 
and  this  is  not  all,  but  the  people  of  these  our  own  times  wonder 
that  such  as  they  should  have  ever  been  in  power,  in  consequence 
of  their  fewness  and  feebleness  at  this  day.  But  the  cause  of  their 
wonder  is  small"  to  one  who  compares  the  events  of  the  world  and 
the  subversion  of  ages,  which  brought  such  vicissitudes  on  the  tribes 
of  the  world  in  general,  driving  the  potent  from  territories,  as  the 

chieftains 

that  these  family  names  had  become  obso-  O' Conor  Sligo. 

lete  so  early  as  our  author's  time,  when  ^  But  the  cause  of  their  wonder  is  small. — 

the  English  language  was  but  little  used  in  ^loeao  ip  puaiU  oariina  a  n-oecpa,  is 

the  district.     The  fact  would  seem  to  be,  in  a  very  ancient  style  of  Irish,  and  would 

that  whole  families  were  either  entirely  be  thus  expressed  in  the  modern  language  : 

exterminated,  or  driven  out  of  the  terri-  jioeao   ip  beaj  aobap  a  n-ionjancaip, 

tory  during  the  struggles  between   the  i.  e.  but  small  is  the  cause  of  their  won- 

families    of    O'Dowd,    De    Burgo,     and  der. 


176 


coimpoc  6  cpfocmb,  TYiap  t)o  cinjieab  na  caoiy^ij;  y^  6  n-a  cpiocaib 
00  cinppiom  ]ie  anaip,  map  a]-"  pollup  ly  in  t)uain  oeajipgnaiD 
(lomba  ^ablan  t)o  cloinn  Chuinn)  'n-a  b-puilio  231  pann,  Do  pine 
^lolla  lopa  TTlop  ITlac  pipbipi^,  uc  pequicup  : 

macFiR6isi5b  ceacaiw  ceciHic. 

lmt)a  ^abldn  t)o  cloinD  Chumo, 

a  n-iach  banba  an  pumt)  pep-cliuipp  ; 
nepu  na  ponD  ap  cent)  cappaig 
Conn  ip  ceano  o'ct  n-^ablanaib. 


'  Celebrated  poem A  very  good  copy 

■of  this  poem  is  given  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis, 
in  bis  larger  genealogical  work,  wbicb 
was  commenced  at  Galway,  in  1 645 ;  but 
as  the  entire  of  it  is  preserved  in  the 
Book  of  Lecan,  which  was  compiled  by 
the  author  of  the  poem  himself,  the  Editor 
thinks  it  more  judicious  to  print  the  text 
as  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  into  which  it  was 
transcribed  by  the  author's  amanuensis, 
about  the  year  141 7.  The  only  difference 
between  the  copy  in  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
and  that  given  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  con- 
sists in  the  difference  of  orthography,  for 
the  latter  has  in  almost  every  instance 
modernized  the  spelling  and  aspirated 
and  eclipsed  the  proper  consonants.  In 
the  ancient  copy  the  grammatical  aspira- 
tions and  eclipses,  usual  in  modern  Irish, 
are  scarcely  at  all  adhered  to,  which  ren- 
ders the  text,  in  many  places,  so  obscure, 
as  wanting  the  grammatical  links,  that  it 
would  be  now  very  difficult  to  understand 
many  lines  of  it,  were  it  not  for  the  as- 


Clanna 

sistance  to  be  derived  from  the  transcript 
of  it,  made,  as  has  been  said,  in  conformity 
with  more  modern  grammatical  rules,  by 
Duald  Mac  Firbis.  The  Editor  has  com- 
pared every  word  and  letter  of  both  co- 
pies, and  shall,  in  the  following  edition 
of  it,  occasionally  introduce  such  remarks 
on  their  variations,  as  will  give  the  rea- 
der a  tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  diffe- 
rence between  the  ancient  and  modern 
Irish  orthography.  This  poem  begins  in 
the  Book  of  Lecan  on  fol.  83,  p.  a,  col.  b, 
and  ends  on  fol.  85,  p.  a,  col.  b. 

"  Many  a  branch  of  the  race  of  Conn, 
i.  e.  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles,   for 

whose  period  see  page  30,  Note  ' This 

line  is  given  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis  thus  : 
lomoa  jablctn  do  cloinn  Chuinn,  which 
are  exactly  the  same  words  with  those  of 
the  copy  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  from  which 
the  text  is  printed,  the  only  difference  being 
in  the  orthography.  In  thefirst  word,  ittidu, 
an  o  was  inserted  by  D.  Mac  Firbis,  to  agree 
with  the  modern  canon  of  Irish  orthogra- 


177 

chieftains  we  have  undertaken  to  describe  were  driven,  as  is  evi- 
dent from  the  celebrated  poem"  beginning  "  Many  a  branch  of  the 
race  of  Conn,"  which  contains  231  quatrains,  which  was  composed 
by  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  ut  sequitur  : 


MAC  FIRBIS  OF  LECAN  CECINIT. 

Many  a  branch  of  the  race  of  Conn'' 

Is  in  the  land  of  Banba  of  smooth  grass ; 

The  sovereignty  of  the  lands'"  was  mightily  seized 

By  Conn,  who  is  the  head  of  their  branches'". 


The 


phy  called  Broad  with  a  Broad,  &c.,  wliich 
is  strictly  adhered  to  by  the  modern  Irish, 
and  the  d,  a  consonant  very  rarely  aspirated 
in  ancient  MSS.,  is  marked  with  an  aspi- 
ration to  conform  with  the  modern  pro- 
nunciation. The  b  in  the  second  word, 
jablan,  a  fork  or  branch,  is  also  marked 
with  an  aspiration  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis. 
Whether  the  ancient  Irish  pronounced 
those  consonants  which  they  left  without 
marks  of  aspiration,  with  their  primary 
or  aspirate  sounds,  it  is  not  now  easy  to 
determine  satisfactorily,  but  the  Editor  is 
of  opinion  that  the  pronunciation  of  the 
Irish  language  in  Connaught,  in  the  time 
of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  who  com- 
piled the  Book  of  Lecan  about  the  year 
141 7,  was  very  nearly  the  same  as  in 
the  time  of  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  who  wrote 
in  1645,  and  that  the  omission  of  the 
aspirations  and  eclipses  of  consonants  in 
the  Book  of  Lecan  is  very  often  owing 
to  the  whim  of  the  transcriber.  It  must 
be  acknowledged,  however,  that  in  ancient 
lEISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12-  2 


MSS.  we  very  seldom  find  the  consonants 
b,  D,  5,  m,  aspirated,  but  the  omission  is, 
perhaps,  generally  in  those  positions  where 
the  grammatical  construction  of  the  sen- 
tence, and  the  ear  of  the  Irish  scholar,  could 
easily  supply  the  deficiency. 

^  The  sovereignty  of  the  lands Duald 

Mac  Firbis  writes  it  neapc  na  B-ponn  ap 
ceann  cappaij,  using  the  diphthong  ea 
for  the  ancient  simple  e  in  the  words  nepc 
and  ceno,  and  eclipsing  the  initial  p  in 
ponn,  Avhich  takes  place  in  the  genitive 
plural  when  the  article  is  used,  if  the  con 
sonant  be  capable  of  eclipsis.  In  the  words 
pono  and  ceno  also,  instead  of  the  no  of 
the  ancient  copy  he  writes  nn,  to  conform 
with  the  modern  orthography  and  pro- 
nunciation. 

y  Conn,  who  is  the  head  of  their  branches. 
— Duald  Mac  Firbis  has  it  Conn  ap  ceann 
d'ci  jallctncub,  i.  e.  Conn  of  the  Hundred 
Battles,  who  is  the  head  of  her  branches, 
i.  e.  of  the  branches  or  families  of  Banba, 
or  Ireland. 


178 

Clanna  Weill,  meic  Gacac  mil, 
gablan  cuana  Do'n  cpobuin^, 
ni  ]io  TTiaicni  'n-a  meaDai]i ; 
aicTTii  ap  TY16  DO  TTiileaOaib, 

Oo  cloinD  ChuinD  rhoiji,  nnc  piiemlini, 
^apjiaiD  Cpuacna,  an  cldip  leibinn ; 
ni  Dilmain  Duine  o'n  peabain, 
]ii5]iait)  TTiui^e  rnuijieabaig. 

Sil  pheapgna,  na  pip  a  cuaiD, 

a5  cpiall  50  Cpuacain  clao-puaiD, 


CO 


2  The  race  of  Niall,  i.  e.  of  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  wlio  was  the  last  pagan  mo- 
narch of  Ireland  but  one,  and  died  in  the 
year  405  or  406.  He  was  the  ancestor  of 
the  O'Neills,  O'Donnells,  O'Kanes,  O'Do- 
hertys,  O'Boyles,  and  of  other  powerful 
families  of  Ulster,  and  also  of  the  Southern 
Hy-Niall  in  Meath,  who  were  the  O'Me- 
laghlins,  Mageoghegans,  Foxes,  O'Molloys, 
&c. 

They  are  the  greatest  tribe  of  heroes 

Duald  Mac  Firbis  writes  this  line  aicme 
Of  mo  00  TTiileaDaib,  introducing  in  the 
word  QIC  me  the  final  e  of  the  modern  or- 
thography for  the  1  of  the  ancients,  and 
aspirating  the  consonants  m,  d,  and  final 
b  of  mileaoaib,  to  conform  with  the  mo- 
dern pronunciation.  At  the  time  that 
the  Book  of  Lecan  was  compiled,  as  will 
be  observed  in  this  word  mileaoaib  and 
throughout  this  poem,  the  Irish  writers 
were  beginning  to  adopt  the  diphthong  ea, 
which  so  very  seldom  appears  in  the  more 


ancient  MSS.  unless,  as  some  have  thought, 
the  character  f  was  intended  as  a  contrac- 
tion for  it,  an  opinion  which  cannot  be  ad- 
mitted, as  this  character  is  found  not  only  in 
Irish,  but  also  in  Latin  MSS.,  to  represent 
the  simple  vowel  e.  The  towering  supe- 
riority here  alluded  to  of  the  Hy-Niall,  or 
Eace  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  called 
by  Adamnan  Nepotes  Neill,  is  acknow- 
ledged by  all  the  northern  and  western 
bards,  but  the  southern  bards  never  ad- 
mitted that  the  race  of  Mogh  Nuadh- 
at,  in  Munster,  were  inferior  to  them. 
This  subject  was  amply  discussed  in  the 
poems  written  in  the  reign  of  James  I.,  by 
the  northern  and  southern  bards,  in  a 
series  of  poems  commonly  called  the  Con- 
tention of  the  Bards,  in  noticing  which, 
O'Flaherty,  in  1685,  says  that  it  would 
be  as  consistent  and  proper  to  say  that 
one  pound  is  equal  to  an  hundred  pounds, 
as  that  any  other  Irish  family  should  com- 
pare with  the  line   of  Heremon   in  the 


179 


The  race  of  NialP,  son  of  the  great  Eochaidh, 

Is  a  fine  branch  of  the  cluster, 

No  sept  is  great  in  comparison  of  them ; 

Tliey  are  the  greatest  tribe  of  heroes^. 
Of  the  race  of  great  Con,  son  of  FeidhHm, 

Are  the  people  of  Cruachan  of  the  level  plain^ ; 

No  man  of  the  tribe  is  fruitless  {unmarried), 

The  kings  of  the  plain  of  Muireadhach^ 
The  seed  of  Feargna'^,  men  of  the  north, 

Passing  to  Cruachan^  of  the  red  mounds. 


And 


number  of  its  kings,  the  propagation  of 
the  different  branches  of  its  families,  the 
multitude  of  its  saints  and  illustrious  men, 
or  in  the  extent  of  its  possessions — 0^?/- 
gia.  Part  III.  c.  86. 

''  The  people  of  Cruachan  of  the  level 

plain "Written  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis, 

^nppa  Chpuacna  claip  lebinn,  where  he 
omits  the  article  before  the  substantive 
clctip,  which  weakens  the  language.  The 
people  of  Cruachan  were  the  O'Conors, 
Kings  of  Connaught,  and  their  correlative 
tribes,  of  whom  the  most  distinguished 
were  the  O'Finnaghtys,  the  Mageraghtys, 
and  the  O'Flannagans,  families  who  sunk 
into  obscurity  several  centuries  since. 

^  The  pilain  of  Muireadhach,  i.  e.  the 
plain  of  Magh  Aoi,  now  generally  called 
Machaire  Chonnacht,  i.  e.  the  plain  of 
Connaught,  a  beautiful  and  fertile  plain 
in  the  county  of  Eoscommon,  extending 
from  Cloonfree,  near  Strokestown,  to  the 
bridge  of  Castlerea,  and  from  a  hill  a  short 

2  A 


distance  to  the  north  of  the  town  of  Eos- 
common,  northwards  to  the  Turloughs  of 
Mantua,  where  it  meets  the  plain  of  Moy- 
lurg.  The  Muireadhach  here  referred  to 
was  the  ancestor  of  the  O'Conors  of  Con- 
naught, and  his  death  is  mentioned  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year 
700,  where  he  is  called  Muireadhach 
Muighe  Aoi,  alias  Muireadhach  Muil- 
leathan. 

^  The  seed  of  Feargna.  —  These  are  the 
O'Eourkes,  O'Eeillys,  Mac  Gaurans,  Mac 
Tiernans,  Mac  Bradys,  and  their  correla- 
tives, in  the  county  of  Leitrim. 

«  Passing  to  Cruachan.  —  Feargal 
O'Eourke,  who  was  the  head  of  this  race  of 
Feargna,  became  King  of  Cruachan,  or  Con- 
naught, in  the  year  954,  and  Art  O'Eourke, 
King  of  Connaught,  is  mentioned  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  as  slain  by  the 
CinelConaill  in  the  year  1046.  Much  va- 
luable information  on  the  history  of  this 
race  of  Feargna  is  preserved  in  the  Book 
2 


lac 


CO  Cenannup  ponn  na  pep, 
pepannup  t)o  Chonn  cneip-^eal. 

^ablan  uapal  t)o  cloint)  Cliuint) 

clann  Gacac  Doimlen  oeapc-cuipp 

pluaj  Oipjiall  op  cac  pea6ain 

'na  pmual  upoiin-gliat)  uoipceamail. 

beangan  aili  Do  cloinD  CliuinO 

clann  TTlailli,  cpoDa  an  cpobuing, 
clumrep  cac  cfp  'cd  caga, 
ip  TTluinuip  mfn  TTlupcaDa. 


ClanD 


of  Fenagh,  a  good  copy  of  which  is  in  the 
collection  of  Messrs.  Hodges  and  Smith, 
Dublin ;  and  also  in  the  Life  of  St.  Maidoc 
of  Ferns,  who  is  the  patron  of  Drumlane, 
in  the  county  of  Cavan,  and  of  Rcssinver, 
in  the  county  of  Leitrim. 

^   To  Cenannus,  land  of  the  heroes 

Duald  Mac  Firbis  writes  this  line  thus  : — 
^o  Ceanannup,  ponn  na  B-peap,  intro- 
ducing the  modern  ea  for  the  simple  e  of 
the  Book  of  Lecan,  and  eclipsing  the  ini- 
tial p  in  the  word  pep,  which  he  writes 
b-peap,  to  show  that  it  is  in  the  genitive 
plural.  The  transcriber  of  the  Book  of 
Lecan,  we  must  presume,  either  omitted 
the  eclipsing  b,  through  carelessness,  or 
deemed  it  unnecessary  to  prefix  it,  as  the 
plural  article  and  the  governing  noun 
ponn  would  immediately  suggest  to  the 
native  reader  that  the  word  should  be  in 
the  genitive  plural.  The  Cenannus  here  re- 
ferred to  is  the  town  of  Kells,  in  the  county 
of  East  Meath,  which  is,  to  this  day,  called 


Cenannus  (the  C  pron.  as  K)  among  those 
who  speak  the  Irish  language.  O'Rourke, 
the  head  of  the  race  of  Feargha,  had  ex- 
tended his  dominion  before  the  English 
invasion  as  far  as  this  place,  which  is  the 
fact  referred  to  in  the  text.  The  name 
Cenannus  signifies  the  head-seat  or  resi- 
dence, and  is  now  translated  Headfort  in 
the  name  of  the  seat  of  the  present  noble 
proprietor.  There  is  another  Cenannus 
in  the  county  of  Kilkenny,  which  is  also 
anglicised  Kells. 

s  Which  was  the  inheritance  of  the  white- 
skinned  Conn. — Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat- 
tles, monarch  of  Ireland,  dwelt  at  Tara, 
and  possessed  all  Meath  as  the  appanage 
of  the  monarchy.  His  grandson,  Cormac 
O'Cuinn,  held  his  residence  for  some  time 
at  Cenannus. 

^   The   race   of  Eochaidh  Doimhlen 

Eochaidh  Doimhlen  was  the  brother  of 
Muireadhach  Tireach,  who  became  mo- 
narch of  Ireland  in  the  year  331  ;  he  had 


Ibl 


And  to  Cenannus,  land  of  the  heroes*, 

Which  was  the  inheritance  of  the  white-skinned  Conn^. 
A  noble  branch  of  the  race  of  Conn 

Is  the  tribe  of  Eochaidh  Doimhlen^  the  bright-eyed, 

The  host  of  Oirghiall,  who,  above  every  tribe, 

Is  a  bulky  blaze  of  heavy  battle. 
Another  shoot  of  the  race  of  Conn 

Is  the  Clann  Mailh',  valiant  the  branch, 

(Every  country  is  heard  selecting  them^). 

And  the  mild  Muintir  Murchadha". 


three  sons  called  Colla  Uais,  Colla  Meann, 
and  Colla  da  chriocli,  who  wrested  the 
territory  of  Oirghiall  from  the  Ultonians 
in  the  year  332,  and  became  the  founders 
of  several  powerful  families,  who  were 
seated  in  the  present  counties  of  Louth, 
Armagh,  Monaghan,  and  Fermanagh,  as 
MacMahon,  O'Hanlon,  Maguire,  with  other 
correlative  septs,  who  obtained  settlements 
for  themselves  in  various  parts  of  Ireland. 

'  Clann  Mailli,  i.  e.  the  family  of  O'Mal- 
ley,  chiefs  of  Umhall,  or,  as  it  is  Latinised, 
Umallia,  a  territory  comprising  the  pre- 
sent baronies  of  Burrishoole  and  Murresk, 
in  the  county  of  Mayo. 

J  Every  country  is  heard  selecting  them. 
— The  O'Malleys  were  celebrated  in  Ire- 
land for  being  expert  sailors,  as  appears 
from  various  notices  of  them  in  the  Irish 
Annals,  particularly  those  of  the  Four 
Masters.  O'Dugan,  who  wrote  about  the 
middle  of  the  fourteenth  century  (he  died 
in  1372),  thus  speaks  of  them  in  his  topo- 
graphical poem  : 


The 

t)uine  mair  piam  ni  paiBe 
t)'  lb  mdiUe  ace  'n-a  rndpaioe  ; 
Pdioe  na  pine  piB-pi, 
t)ine  baioe  ip  bpctichippi. 

"  A  good  man  never  was  there 
Of  the  O'Malleys,  but  a  mariner  ; 
The  prophets  of  the  weather  are  ye, 
A  tribe  of  affection  and  brotherly  love." 

^  Muintir  Murchadha,  anglicised  Munter- 
murroghoe  in  the  Connaught  inquisitions 
of  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth — This  was 
the  tribe  name  of  the  O'Flahertys,  and  be- 
came also  that  of  the  territory  which  they 
possessed,  which  was  nearly  co-extensive 
with  the  barony  of  Clare,  in  the  county  of 
Gal  way.  About  the  year  1238,  when  the 
English  Barons  of  Ireland  castellated  this 
territory,  the  O'Flahertys  and  their  ad- 
herents were  driven  out  of  it,  and  they 
settled  in  that  part  of  the  county  of  Gal- 
way  lying  west  of  Lough  Orbsen,  or 
Lough  Corrib,  where  they  became  as  pow- 
erful as  ever  they  had  been  in  their  ori- 
ginal territory  of  Muintir  Murchadha. 


Ib2 


Clant)  piacyia  moip,  meic  Gacac, 
pegan  builit),  binD-bpechac, 
h-l  pViiacpa  cuaiD  ocuf  cep 
pial-car  t)a  chuaiD  6  coiinep. 

Clann  piacjia  uip  ap  ni'aipi, 
lenam  lop^  na  laecpaiDe, 
na  pl6i5  6  Uhempai^  Uhuarail, 
coip  leriTTiain  a  laec-puacaip. 

piacpa  polrpnaicheac  pleoac 
cuic  TY11C  'con  TTiop-TTiuipepac, 
a  n-aipenfi  ap  Du  Oo'n  Dpoin^, 
t)o  odileD  clu  t)'on  cjiobom^. 

Oachi,  t)o  puaip  cac  aicmi, 
copancac  cldip  Gopaipi, 
Da  5ab  co  h-Galpa  n-enai^, 
blat)  t)'d  ecrpa  a  n-up-pcelaib. 


Qmal^am 


^  A  beauteous,  sweetli/-judging  tribe.  — 
Duald  Mac  Firbis  writes  tliis  Peaoain 
builio  binn-bpearac,  wliich  is  more  cor- 
rect orthograpliy. 

™  The  Hg-Fiachrach,  north  and  south, 
i.  e.  the  Hy-Fiaclirach  of  the  north,  or 
northern  Hy-Fiachrach,  who  possessed  the 
region  extending  from  the  river  Robe  to 
DrumclifF,  below  the  town  of  Sligo,  and 
the  southern  Hy-Fiachrach,  who  possessed 
the  territory  of  Aidhne,  which  comprised 
the  entire  of  the  present  diocese  of  Kil- 
macduagh,  in  the  south-west  of  the  county 
of  Galway. 

■1  The  hosts  from  Tara  of  Tuathal,  i.  e. 
who  sprung  from  the  royal  house  of  Tara, 


the  place  of  their  great  ancestor  Tuathal 
Teach tmhar,  monarch  of  Ireland  in  the 
second  century. 

o  Fiachra  Foltsnaihheach.  —  For  some 
account  of  his  descendants  see  pages  5 
and  15. 

P  Who  were  wont  to  distribute,  8fc. — The 
meaning  is,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Mac 
Firbises,  the  hereditary  poets  and  histo- 
riographers of  the  Hy-Fiachrach,  who 
were  used  to  spread  the  fame  of  that  peo- 
ple by  their  poems  and  other  compositions, 
to  enumerate  and  preserve  for  posterity 
an  account  of  the  sons  of  their  great  an- 
cestor Fiachra  Foltsnaitheach. 

1  Contender  for  the  plain  of  Europe — 


i83 


The  race  of  the  great  Fiachra,  son  of  Eochaidh, 

A  beauteous,  sweetly-judging  tribe\ 

The  Hy-Fiachrach,  north  and  south™, 

A  generous  battalion,  who  have  exceeded  comparison. 
The  race  of  the  noble  Fiachra  are  my  care. 

Let  us  follow  the  track  of  the  heroes, 

The  hosts  from  Tara  of  Tuathal", 

It  is  just  to  trace  their  noble  career. 
Fiachra  Foltsnaitheach°,  the  festive, 

Five  were  the  sons  of  that  great  progenitor. 

To  enumerate  them  is  meet  for  the  people. 

Who  were  wont  to  distribute  fame  to  the  family  p. 
Dathi,  who  won  each  sept. 

Was  contender  for  the  plain  of  Europe'' ; 

He  proceeded  to  the  Alps  of  birds'', 

It  is  a  part  of  his  adventure  celebrated  in  stories'. 

Amhalgaidh, 


Vide  supra,  pp.  17  to  33,  where  tlie  whole 
story  is  given.  The  verb  contain,  which 
is  still  a  living  word,  signifying  to  defend, 
is  used  in  the  ancient  manuscripts  and  in 
the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  in  the 
sense  of  to  contend  for ;  copanrac  is  a 
personal  noun  formed  from  copam,  and 
means  contending,  or  one  who  contends. 
It  is  curious  that  Dathi  is  here  set  down 
as  if  he  were  the  first  son  of  Fiachra. 

■^  He  proceeded  to  the  Alps  of  birds 

Duald  Mac  Firbis  has  this  tDo  jab  50 
h-Galpa  n-eunaij,  where,  by  inserting  a 
u  into  the  first  syllable  of  enaij^,  he 
shows  that  he  took  it  to  be  long,  and  that 
he  understood  the  word  to  be  derived  from 


eun,  a  bird,  not,  as  might  be  supposed,  a 
modification  of  eanach,  a  moor,  the  first 
syllable  of  which  is  always  short. 

^  Celebrated  in  stories Duald  Mac  Firbis 

writes  this  6laD  o'a  eaccpa  n-uippjeu- 
lui  j,  which  would  mean,  "  It  is  a  portion 
of  his  storied  adventure."  Here  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  remark,  that  in  O'Reilly's  Dic- 
tionary the  word  uippjeul  is  explained 
"  a  fable,  story,  legend,"  but  this  is  not 
the  true  explanation  of  the  word,  for  it  is 
derived  from  up,  noble,  and  fjtiut,  a  story, 
and  means  a  famous  story  or  narrative. 
O'Brien,  in  his  Dictionary,  explains  the 
word  up  as  follows :  "Up,  generous,  noble- 
hearted  ;  it  is  also  prefixed  as  a  part  of  a 


1 84 


Qmalgait)  pa  cuin^  cara, 
TYiac  uapal  an  dpD-plara, 
6anba  o  clecci  Do'n  cuiyii, 
bpepal  calma  ip  Conaiyii. 

Gape  Culbuit)!  cpaeb  co  par, 

mac  o'phiacpa  mop,  mac  Gacac, 
a  maep  ap  Ceapa  t)0  cuip, 
raeb  cac  peat)a  t)a  aoaim. 

Oa  clannaib  Gipc,  nap  paem  pell, 
^appat)  calma  nac  ceilpem, 
pip  Cliepa  na  caem  cpann  cuip, 
maech-bdpp  mela  ap  a  mo^laib. 


Na 


compound,  and  then  signifies  noble,  com- 
mendable, as  up-pliocc,  a  noble  race." 
This  is  exactly  the  sense  in  which  up,  in 
the  compound  up-pjel,  or  uip-pjeul  is 
to  be  here  taken,  for  it  is  quite  clear  from 
the  context  that  Giolla  losa  INIor  Mac 
Firbis  did  not  intend  to  insult  his  patron, 
the  O'Dubhda,  by  telling  him  that  the  ac- 
count of  his  ancestor,  Dathi's,  grand  expe- 
dition to  the  Alps,  was  a  legend  or  fable, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  that  he  wished  it  to 
be  firmly  believed,  as  indeed  it  has  been 
by  every  writer  on  the  subject  since  his 
time,  not  excepting  even  Moore,  the  latest 
historian  of  Ireland,  Avho  despatches  the 
subject  of  King  Dathi's  expedition  to  the 
Alps,  in  the  following  brief  words,  omit- 
ting every  thing  in  the  story  that  might 
savour  of  fabrication  or  fable: — "A.  D. 
406.  ToNiall  the  Great  succeeded  Dathy, 
the  last  of  the  Pagan  monarchs  of  Ireland, 


and  not  unworthy  to  follow,  as  a  soldier 
and  adventurer,  in  the  path  opened  to  him 
by  his  heroic  predecessor.  Not  only,  like 
Niall,  did  he  venture  to  invade  the  coasts 
of  Gaul,  but  allured  by  the  prospects  of 
plunder,  which  the  state  of  the  province, 
then  falling  fast  into  dismemberment,  held 
forth,  forced  his  Avay  to  the  foot  of  the 
Alps,  and  was  there  killed,  it  is  said,  by 
a  flash  of  lightning,  leaving  the  throne  of 
Ireland  to  be  filled  thenceforward  by  a 
line  of  Christian  kings.". — History  of  Ire- 
land, vol.  i.  pp.  152,  153. 

^  Banba  was  enjoyed  by  the  hero — Duald 
Mac  Firbis  writes  this  line,  6anba  o 
cleacc  pan  gun  cuipe.  This  seems  to  in- 
timate that  he  believed  Amhalgaidh,  the 
brother  of  Dathi,  to  have  been  monarch  of 
Ireland,  but  he  is  not  found  in  any  au- 
thentic list  of  Irish  monarchs.  He  was 
King  of  Connaught,  and  probably  made 


i85 


Amhalgaidh,  a  prop  of  battle, 

Was  a  noble  son  of  the  arch-chieftain, 

Banba  was  enjoyed  by  the  hero^ ; 

Bresal  the  brave  and  Conairi"  were  also  his  sons. 
Earc  Culbhuidhe",  a  prosperous  branch, 

Was  son  of  great  Fiachra,  son  of  Eochaidh, 

His  steward  over  Ceara  he  placed"'. 

Which  the  side  of  each  tree  confessed''. 
Of  the  descendants  of  Earc,  who  consented  not  to  treachery, 

A  brave  tribe,  whom  I  will  not  omit, 

Are  the  men  of  Ceara  of  beautiful  fruit  trees. 

With  a  mellow  top  of  honey  on  their  pods^. 


some  exertion  to  gain  tlie  monarcliy,  but 
it  appears  from  all  the  authentic  annals 
that  Dathi  succeeded  his  uncle,  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages,  and  that  Laoghaire, 
the  son  of  that  Niall,  succeeded  Dathi  as 
monarch  of  Ireland,  and  was  succeeded  by 
OniollMolt,  the  son  of  Dathi,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Lughaidh,  the  son  of  Laoghaire. 
See  list  of  the  kings  of  Connaught  of  the 
Hy-Fiachrach  race,  given  at  the  end  of 
this  poem. 

"  Bresal  the  brave  and  Conairi. —  Vide 
p.  5,  line  6. 

'  £Jarc  Culbhuidhe See  p.  5,  line  2, 

where  this  Earc  is  mentioned  as  if  he  were 
the  eldest  son  of  Fiachra. 

"  His  steward  over  Ceara  he  placed. — 
See  pp.  15,  16,  17,  where  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  chiefs  of  Ceara  are  descended 
from  this  Earc  Culbhuidhe.  The  boun- 
daries of  the  territory  of  Ceara  have  been 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12.  2 


Let 

already  noted  in  the  list  of  the  men  of 
Hy-Fiachrach  prefixed  to  this  poem. 

^  Which  the  side  of  each  tree  confessed. — 
By  this  is  to  be  understood  that  the  trees 
of  Ceara  produced  abundance  of  fruit  dur- 
ing his  chieftainship,  which  was  considered 
one  of  the  indications  of  his  worthiness  as 
a  prince. 

y  If^ith  a  mellow  top  of  honey  on  their 

pods Duald  Mac  Firbis  gives  this  line 

thus: — TTlaor-bdpp  meala  ap  a  mojluib, 
where,  besides  placing  the  proper  aspira- 
tions on  the  consonants,  he  changes  the 
ancient  diphthong  ae  into  the  modern  ao, 
in  maoc,  and  e  into  ea  in  meala.  The 
word  bapp  is  still  used  in  the  living  lan- 
guage to  denote  a  top.,  the  cream  that  rises 
on  new  milk,  and  the  crop  produced  by  a 
tilled  field,  or  any  field,  mojal,  of  which 
mo^luiB  is  the  ablative  case  plural,  signi- 
fies the  pod  or  husk  of  any  fruit. 
B 


i86 


Nd  pa^baTYi  Ceapa  na  claD, 
can  a  t)iicuy'  oo  t)enani, 
can  beirh  co  peim  'cd  pnaiDi, 
t)'d  bjieiu  'ya  ]\e^m  piJiiaiDi. 

Ctp  Ceapa  na  call  copcpa 
cpi  pi  uaipli  innaolua, 
peDna  can  cloD  6  cenaib, 
mennia  mop  'ca  mileaoaib. 

O'Ui^epnaig  na  cpeb  peio, 

O'JopTTi^ail  ndp  chuill  rabeim, 
flo5  can  Derail  pe  oebaiD, 
mop  meoaip  O'TTluipeaoai^. 


^  Let  us  not  leave  Ceara  of  the  mounds, 
4'C. — Duald  Mac  Firbis  gives  this  quatrain 
as  follows  : 

Net  pajBam  Ceapa  na  cclao 
^an  a  Duocupoo  oeunaiii, 
^an  a  Ber  50  pevh,  50  pnaioe, 
O'a  m-bper  'pa  pem  piojpaioe. 
Here  it  will  be  observed,  that  eclipsing 
consonants  are  introduced  which  render 
the  text  much  clearer  than  that  given  in 
the  Book  of  Lecan ;  but  it  is  strange  to 
find  so  excellent  a  scholar  introduce  the 
diphthong  eu,  for  which  scarcely  any  au- 
thority is  to  be  found  in  good  MSS.,  and 
reject  the  diphthong  ei,  which  is  found 
in  them  all. 

*  Of  the  brown  nuts. — Written  na  ccoll 

ccopcpa  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  who,  as 

usual  with  the  Irish  writers  of  his  time, 

uses  CO  for  5-c,  pp  for  B-p,  cc  for  d-c. 

''  G'Tighearnaigh  of  ready  tribes. — Duald 


'5 

Mac  Firbis  writes  this  O'Cijeapnoij  na 
ccpeaB  peo,  eclipsing  the  c  in  cpeaB,  to 
show  that  it  is  in  the  genitive  case  plural. 
The  name  G'Tighearnaigh  is  found  in 
many  parts  of  Ireland  anglicised  Tierney ; 
but  in  the  barony  of  Carra  it  has  been 
changed  to  O'Tighearnain  in  Irish,  and 
anglicised  Tiernan.  People  of  this  latter 
name  are  spread  throughout  the  barony 
of  Carra,  but  they  have  a  tradition  among 
them  that  they  were  originally  seated  in 
that  part  of  it  called  Par  try.  They  are 
all  at  present  very  poor,  not  one  of  them 
holding  the  rank  of  even  a  farmer,  but 
living  on  small  holdings  of  land,  of  which 
they  are  choice  tillers  ;  they  are  neverthe- 
less a  stout  race  of  men,  and  very  proud 
of  their  descent,  of  which,  however,  they 
know  nothing  except  that  their  ancestors, 
a  long  time  ago,  had  estates  in  Carra,  and 
were  strong  men  and  courageous  fighters. 


18; 


Let  us  not  leave  Ceara  of  the  mounds'' 

Without  mentioning  its  inheritors, 

Without  gently  fitting  them  to  our  verse, 

To  place  them  in  the  regal  list. 
Over  Ceara  of  the  brown  nuts* 

There  are  three  noble,  laudable  kings, 

Over  tribes  who  have  not  been  subdued  from  times  remote, 

Whose  soldiers  possess  high  minds. 
O'Tighernaigh  of  ready  tribes'*, 

O'GormghaiP,  who  merited  not  reproach, 

A  host  who  separate  not  from  the  battle, 

O'Muireadhaigh'*  of  great  mirth. 

To 


They  look  upon  themselves  as  superior  to 
their  neighbours  of  the  same  rank,  and 
always  use  a  style  in  their  dress,  particu- 
larly the  great  coat,  by  which  they  are 
at  once  distinguishable  from  others  of  the 
same  neighbourhood.  This  gave  rise  to 
an  Irish  saying  in  Carra,  If  jeall  le 
mopjdil  rhumcipe  Uhijeapnctin  e,  "  It  is 
nke  the  ostentation  of  the  O'Tiernans." 
For  the  descent  of  O'Tighearnaigh  vide 
supra,  p.  17, 

*^  G'Gormghail.  —  This  is  the  true  form 
of  the  name,  and  is  stUl  retained  in  Carra 
with  a  very  slight  alteration,  though  in 
the  prose  list  of  the  men  of  Ceara,  and  in 
the  copy  of  O'Dugan's  topographical  poem, 
transcribed  by  Peregrine  O'Clery,  it  is 
Avritten  O'Gormog.  It  is  now  pronounced 
by  the  native  Irish  in  Carra  as  if  written 
O'^opmpuil,  but  whenever  it  is  written 
or  spoken  in  English  it  is  made  Gorman. 

2B 


^  G'Muireadhaigh This  line  is  written 

by  Duald  Mac  Firbis  niop  meaoaip 
O'TTIuipeaDoi  j,  with  the  marks  of  aspi- 
ration on  the  proper  consonants.  This 
name  is  still  to  be  found  in  Carra,  exactly 
pronounced  by  the  native  Irish  as  written 
by  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  but  anglicised  Mur- 
ray, which  is  not  incorrect,  as  it  represents 
the  sound  sufficiently  well  in  English  let- 
ters. O'Dugan  also,  in  his  topographical 
poem,  mentions  these  three  families  as 
the  chiefs  of  Ceara,  in  the  following  qua- 
train : 

OTDuipeaoaij  co  meanmam, 
O'^opmocc,  O'Uijeapnaij, — 
tDei^-mem  ap  oeala  oo'n  opuinj, — 
Qp  Cheapa  airhpeio,  dluinn. 

"  O'Muireadhaigh  with  spirit, 
O'Gormog,  O'Tighearnaigh, — 
A  generous  mind  is  innate  in  this  people, — 
Rule  over  the  uneven,  splendid  Ceara." 
2 


'5  O'Uaoa  If  paijif  11151  peat), 
'5  0'Cint)clinaTna  nap  cctineat), 
6  TTlaireoig  co  Callaint)  cpuaiD, 
ociip  50  h-abaino  inDuaip. 

TTIaich  Do  chopain  pont)  na  pep 
O'DopcaiDi  ip  apt)  ai^neat), 
epic  papcpai^i  na  call  cuip, 
le  cpann  alc-buiDi  a  n-im^uin. 

O'banan  6  baili  pein, 

bpu^ait)  nac  ap  cuill  rabeim, 


In  the  year  1238  the  English  Barons  of 
Ireland  castellated  the  territory  of  Ceara, 
when  the  power  of  those  Irish  chiefs  was 
much  crippled,  if  not  nearly  destroyed. 
In  the  year  1273,  as  we  are  informed  by 
the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  Flann 
O'Tighearnaigh  was  slain  by  the  O'Muir- 
eadhaighs  (Murrays)  in  a  dispute  about 
the  lordship  of  Ceara.  This  is  the  last 
notice  of  these  families  in  the  Irish  An- 
nals as  lords  of  Ceara,  and  it  is  quite  clear 
that  their  power  was  at  an  end  soon  after, 
for  in  the  year  1300  the  Annals  of  Clon- 
macnoise,  as  translated  by  ConneU  Ma- 
geoghegan,  record  the  death  of  Adam 
Staunton,  lord  of  Kera,  who  is  called  a 
great  baron  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters ;  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  there  was  no  lord  of  Ceara  of  the 
above  families  ever  since.  The  compiler 
of  the  Book  of  Lecan  andDuald  Mac  Firbis 
state,  that  the  last  King  of  Ceara  of  the 
Gael  or  Milesian  Irish  race  was  Giolla  an 
Ghoill  Mac  Neill,  who  was  cotemporary 


O'Silin 

with  Taithleach  Mor  O'Dowd  (the  son  of 
Aodh),  who  was  slain  in  the  year  11 92. — 
See  p.  1 7,  where  it  wdl  be  seen  that  Niall, 
the  progenitor  of  this  Mac  Neill,  and 
Tighearnach,  the  progenitor  of  O'Tighear- 
naigh, were  brothers. 

^  O'k-  Uada This  name  is  stiU  in  Cea- 
ra, but  pronounced  in  Irish  O'Fuada,  and 
fancifully  translated  Swift,  from  the  as- 
sumption that  the  name  is  derived  from 
the  verb  puaoaij,  carry  away  swiftly  or 
violently.  For  the  descent  of  this  family 
see  page  17. 

f  O'Cinnchnamha This  name  is  still 

in  the  barony  of  Carra,  and  anglicised  cor- 
rectly enough  Kinnavy.  There  was  a 
respectable  man  of  this  name  living  in  the 
west  of  Partry  about  fifty  years  ago,  but 
there  is  none  of  the  name  in  the  district 
at  present  that  could  be  called  even  a 
farmer.  For  the  situation  of  the  tract  of 
land  belonging  to  these  two  families  see 
notes  to  the  prose  list  of  the  men  of  Ceara 
prefixed  to  this  poem. 


189 


To  O'h-Uada*  of  extensive  woods, 

To  O'Cinnclinamlia^  who  was  not  dispraised, 

Belongs  the  tract  stretching  fromMaiteog  to  the  hard  Callainn, 

And  to  the  cool  river. 

Well  has  been  defended  the  land  of  the  men 
By  O'Dorchaidhe  of  the  lofty  mind. 
The  comitry  of  Partraighe^  of  fine  hazle  trees. 
With  the  yellow-knotted  ^joear-shaft  in  the  battle. 

O'Banan  of  his  own  town'', 

A  bruo^haidh  who  merited  not  reproach, 

O'Gilin 


s  The  country  of  Partraighe.  —  For  the 
limits  of  this  territory  see  notes  to  the 
prose  list  of  the  men  of  Ceara,  prefixed  to 
this  poem  ;  and  for  some  account  of  the 
genealogy  of  the  O'Dorchaidhe  family  see 
pp.  46-51.  It  should  be  added  here  that 
the  name  O'Dorchaidhe  is  still  common  in 
the  mountainous  districts  of  Partry  and 
Connamara,  where  they  are  beginning  to 
translate  it  Darkey,  as  being  derived  from 
the  adjective  dorcha,  dark.  The  more  re- 
spectable portion  of  the  tribe,  however, 
render  it  Darcey,  and  will,  no  doubt,  be  con- 
sidered an  offset  of  the  D'Arcys  of  Meath, 
as  soon  as  they  remove  from  their  native 
mountains.  It  is  not  improbable  that  this 
is  the  name  which  is  common  in  the  United 
States  of  America,  particularly  in  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania,  as  Dorsey,  where  some 
of  the  people  who  bear  it  assert  that  they 
are  of  Irish  origin,  while  others  contend 
that  they  are  French. 

^  Qi'Banan  of  his  own  town,  or  as  the 
Scotch  say,  of  that  ilk,  i.  e.  of  the  town, 


seat,  or  townland  called  after  himself,  viz. 
Baile  Ui  Bhanain,  now  Bally banaun,  a 
townland  in  the  parish  of  Ballyovey,  or 
Partry,  to  the  west  of  Lough  Mask  ;  but 
the  maps  differ  as  to  its  situation  and  ex- 
tent. Mr.  James  O'Flaherty  of  Gahvay, 
who  is  intimately  acquainted  with  the  dis- 
trict of  Partry,  has  thus  described  its  situ- 
ation in  his  reply  to  a  number  of  queries 
proposed  by  the  Editor  : — "  Ballybanane 
is  a  townland  on  the  side  of  the  mountain 
of  Partry,  and  is  nearly  in  an  angular  po- 
sition, which  leaves  it  west  of  the  moun- 
tain lake,  and  due  west  of  Lough  Mask, 
which  it  borders.  There  is  a  chapel  on 
this  townland." — See  also  Ordnance  Map 
of  the  County  of  Mayo,  sheets  108,  109, 
and  Balds'  Map  of  the  same  county.  It  is 
probable  that  Ballybauaun  was  originally 
a  ballybetagh,  or  large  Irish  townland  con- 
taining about  480  Irish  acres,  and  that  it 
comprised  several  of  the  present  adjoining 
denominations. 


190 

O'^i^i^'  oil  TTluine  me]\, 

cuipi  cinil  na]i  caineat). 
Tllac  a  bainb  na  call  cojicjia 

puaip  an  y^icTi-bjiug  faegalca, 

cuar  TTlumi  bein^i  bino, 

cuijii  ip  peicmi^i  aipminn. 
6aili  na  cjiaibi  can  col, 

ynp  a  Deajiap  cjia  an  Uobaji, 

puaiji  6  h-Qoba  le  pe6ain, 

cupaiD  'cap  caemna  ap  ceo  peapaib. 
O'Puarrhapan  na  n-ec  meap 

puoip  Cacal  le  cup  claioem, 


neapc 


'  G'Crilin  ....  ofMuine. — The  name  of 
this  family  is  now  obsolete,  unless  it  be 
that  anglicised  Killeen.  The  townland  of 
Muine  is  well  known.  It  is  described  by 
Mr.  O'Flaherty  as  "a  townland  containing 
a  large  village,  the  flattest  and  best  land  in 
Partry,  lying  between  the  bridge  of  Keel 
and  the  honse  of  Port  Royal,  and  mearing 
the  townland  of  Turin  and  the  village  of 
NeAvtown  Partry."  It  is  evidently  the 
townland  called  Carrowmoney  (i.  e.  the 
quarter  of  Muine),  on  the  Ordnance  Map. 

J  Mac  an  Bhainbh This  name  has  long 

since  become  obsolete,  which  indeed  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  as  it  signifies  "  son  of 
the  sucking  pig."  It  would  be  anglicised 
Macan-Banniflf",  and  may  have  been  trans- 
lated Hogge. 

^  The  worldly  fairy  palace,  i.  e.  the  fairy 
palace  in  this  world,  the  fairies  not  being 
considered  as  properly  of  this  world.    The 


district  of  Magh  na  beithighe  (i.  e.  the 
plain  of  the  birch),  here  alluded  to  as  the 
inheritance  of  Mac  an  Bhainbh,  is  called 
by  the  alias  name  of  Lughortan,  in  the 
prose  list  already  given,  and  said  to  com- 
prise seven  ballys  or  townlands.  It  is  ob- 
vious from  the  description  of  it,  as  "  a  ter- 
restrial fairy  palace, "  that  it  must  have  been 
the  most  beautiful  district  in  the  country. 
Mr.  James  O'Flaherty,  who  was  born  in 
the  neighbourhood,  writes,  "  the  district 
extending  from  Muine  to  Luffertane  must 
be  that  anciently  called  Magh  na  beithighe, 
or  plain  of  the  birch  trees,  being  a  long, 
plain  valley,  about  five  miles  in  length, 
now  mostly  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation ; 
but  I  think  there  is  not  an  acre  on  the 
whole  line  on  which  the  shrubs  and  roots 
of  birch  trees  are  not  still  to  be  found, 
which  are  as  difficult  to  eradicate  as  those 
of  the  furze  itself,  whatever  process  of 


191 


O'Gilin  the  swift  of  Miiine', 

Chief  of  a  tribe  who  were  never  dispraised. 

Mac  an  Bhainbh^  of  scarlet  hazles, 

Obtained  the  terrestrial  fairy  palace^, 
The  sweet  district  of  Magh  na  beithighe, 
The  most  vigorous  chief  I  mention. 

Baile  na  craibhi'  without  stain, 
Which  is  also  called  the  Tobar, 
O'Aodha™,  with  his  tribe,  obtained, 
Heroes  who  protect  us  against  puissant  men. 

OTuathmharan"  of  the  swift  steeds 

Obtained  CacaF  by  plying  the  sword ; 


The 


cultivation  be  adopted." 

'  Baile  na  craibhi,  written  by  Duald 
Mac  Firbis  Baile  na  craoibhe  (i.  e.  the 
town  of  the  bush,)  was  an  ancient  alias 
name  of  Ballintober  townland,  and  the 
name  is  still  retained  in  a  disguised  form 
in  the  adjoining  townland  of  Creevagh, 
i.  e.  bushy  land.  This  place  was  other- 
wise called  Baile  Tobair  Phadruig,  i.  e. 
the  bally  or  townland  of  St.  Patrick's 
well,  from  a  holy  well  anciently  called 
Tobar  Stingle,  which  was  blessed  by  that 
saint,  near  which  he  erected  a  church, 
and  where,  in  the  year  1216,  Cathal 
Croibhdliearg  O'Conor,  King  of  Con- 
naught,  founded  a  magnificent  abbey,  the 
ruins  of  which  still  remain  in  good  pre- 
servation, 

"^  G'h-Aodha There  are  families   of 

this  name,  of  different  races,  to  be  found 
in  various  parts  of  Ireland,  but  they  an- 


glicise it  to  O'Hea,  Hayes,  and  more 
generally  Hughes,  from  the  belief  that 
Aodli  and  Hugh  are  the  same  name.  There 
are  several  families  of  the  name  O'h- Aodha 
still  in  the  parish  of  Ballintober  and  all 
over  the  barony  of  Carra,  where  they 
have  not  yet  acquired  skiU  enough  to  ren- 
der it  Hughes,  but  some  of  them  are  be- 
ginning to  give  it  an  English  dress  in  the 
shape  of  Hay  or  Hayes. 

»  G' Fuathmharain,  written  in  the  prose 
list  O'h-Uathmharain.  This  name,  which 
would  sound  so  terribly  to  an  English 
ear,  and  conveys  no  pleasing  association 
to  an  Irish  speaker  (for  it  signifies  hated, 
abJiorred),  has  been  corrupted  to  O'h- 
Eimhirin,  which  is  Englished  Heverine, 
and  Hefierine,  and  in  these  forms  it  may 
be  said  still  to  exist  in  Carra. 

°  Cacal,  now  always  called  in  Irish 
Cagala,    and  anglicised   Caggaula.     This 


192 


neapc  a  lann  leabap  'ya  Idm, 
t)li5ea6  cac  am  a  n-iTn|iat). 

Cill  n-aint)i  ly^  up  pet)ac, 

'c  O'Lep^uya  luac-^peaDac, 
y^loig  na  Cilli  mp  cdmeat), 
gilli  ap  coip  t)o  comdipem. 

Uuarh  Dlui^i  li-liit)alb  na  n-ec, 
cupi  riac  ap  luaiD  leic-bpec, 
'5  O'Ceapnaig  ndp  cap  epa. 
blat>  a  re^laig  coi^eba, 

Upf  baili  an  Pia^dn  ^an  point), 
rpf  baili  an  Chnocdin  canuini, 


T 


townland  is  still  well  known,  and  is  situ- 
ated in  the  parish  of  Ballintober,  a  short 
distance  to  the  north-east  of  the  great 
abbey.  It  contains  a  small  remnant  of  the 
ruins  of  an  old  church,  said  to  be  one 
of  the  threemost  ancient  in  Ireland,  as 
appears  from  the  following  rhymes  current 
in  this  district : 
ITIaij   eo,    6alla,   bpeacriiaj,  Cajala 

aepac  eioip  66  moin, 
Na  ceao  reampuill  a  n-Gipinn,  a  bean- 

nuijeao  'pan  T^oirii. 

"  Mayo,  Balla,  Breaghwy,  the  airy  Caggaula  be- 
tween two  bogs, 

JVere  the  first  churches  in  Ireland,  which  were 
blessed  at  Rome." 

This  tradition,  however,  is  not  to  be  de- 
pended upon,  as  almost  every  county  in 
the  Irish  parts  of  Ireland  claims  to  itself 
the  honour  of  having  the  three  (not  four, 
as  in  this  rhyme)  most  ancient  churches 


in  Ireland. 

P  Cill  n-Aindi  of  the  green  woods Du- 

ald  Mac  Firbis  writes  this  line  Cill  Ua 
n-Qinoin  'p  up  peaoac ;  and  in  both 
copies  of  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this 
poem  the  place  is  called  Cill  Buainne, 
which  might  be  taken  to  be  the  present 
Kilboyne,  the  seat  of  Sir  Samuel  O'Malley, 
were  it  not  that  the  latter  is  called  by  the 
natives  in  Irish  Cillin  na  buioeanac. 

^  QfLerghusa.  —  This  name  is  well 
known  in  other  parts  of  Ireland,  but  it  is 
not  to  be  found  in  Carra  at  present,  un- 
less it  be  the  name  shortened  to  Leasy, 
which  is  very  probable. 

^  District  of  Muighe  h-Indalbh,  i.  e.  the 
tuath  or  lordship  of  Magh  h-indalbh,  called 
in  the  prose  list  Magh  Fhiondalbha.  It  is 
now  anglicised  MoynuUa,  and  sometimes 
shortened  to  Manulla,  and  known  only  as 
the  name  of  a  parish  in  the  barony  of 


193 


The  strength  of  his  large  swords  and  hands 

Deserve  renown  at  every  time. 
Cill  n-Aindi  of  the  green  woods^ 

Belongs  to  O'Lerghusa"^  of  swift  steeds ; 

The  host  of  Cill  was  never  dispraised, 

Youths  who  ought  to  be  mentioned  in  this  poem. 
The  district  of  Magh  h-Indalbh'  of  steeds, 

Belongs  to  a  hero  who  has  not  pronounced  false  sentence, 

To  O'Cearnaigh",  who  loved  not  refusal, 

The  fame  of  his  household  I  will  extol. 
The  three  townlands  o/'Baile  an  Riagan'  without  division, 

The  three  townlands  of  Cnocan",  I  say. 


Carra.  In  tlie  prose  list  already  given  this 
district  is  said  to  contain  fifteen  townlands 
(or  about  7,200  Irish  acres),  and  to  ex- 
tend from  Crannan  Tornaighe  to  Caisel 
Cairpri. 

^  G'Cearnaigh^  now  anglicised  Kearney 
and  Carney.  The  Kearneys  are  still  a  nu- 
merous race  in  this  locality,  and  we  are 
happy  to  say  that  a  branch  of  the  tribe 
has  risen  from  the  ranks  of  the  peasantry, 
among  whom  they  were  since  the  thir- 
teenth century,  to  that  of  the  gentry.  A 
gentleman  of  the  name  lives  at  present 
in  the  town  of  Castlebar,  where  he  amass- 
ed considerable  wealth  by  keeping  a  tan- 
yard,  but  he  has  lately  retired  from  busi- 
ness, and  has  sufficient  wealth  to  purchase 
the  greater  part  of  Manulla.  The  Kear- 
neys of  this  race  are  to  be  distinguished 
from  those  formerly  seated  at  Cashel,  in 
the  county  of  Tipperary,  and  in  different 
parts  of  the  south  of  Ireland. 


And 

^  Baile  an  Biagan. — According  to  the 
prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem  Baile  an 
Riagan  was  a  generic  name  for  a  district 
of  land  comprising  the  townlands  of  Baile 
an  Chriochain  bhuidhe,  Baile  an  smotain, 
and  Baile  na  Greallcha.  This  generic  name 
is  now  locally  forgotten,  but  those  of  the 
subdivisions  are  still  retained,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  one,  and  applied  to  townlands 
in  the  parish  of  Manulla.  Baile  an  Smo- 
tain, the  name  of  the  first  division,  is  now 
anglicised  Smuttanagh  ;  Baile  an  Chri- 
ochain bhuidhe  is  now  simply  Creaghan- 
boy,  but  the  name  Baile  na  Greallcha  is 
forgotten,  or  at  least  not  recognized  as  a 
townland  name. 

"  The  three  townlands  of  Cnocan,  are 
called  in  the  prose  list  the  three  townlands 
of  Magh  na  Cnocaighe,  but  the  names  of  the 
subdivisions  are  not  added,  which  renders 
it  impossible  now  to  determine  the  exact 
situation  or  extent  of  this  tract  of  land. 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


2C 


194 


If  ponn  piD  cjiuaici  na  pleD, 
pa'n  cir-luaiui  coll  cneip-gel, 
cabpam  cac  cpuac  pa  clec-pdl, 
cuar  appaiD  h-1  Gmnecan. 

baili  an  belaij,  ap  beer  lem, 
'5  O'Ciapajan,  nf  celpem, 
noco  coip  ceilci  a  caDaip, 
bepn  ppoill  cac  yen  apaip. 

Qp  baili  Cpanndin  can  coll, 
bpugaio  ap  bupba  comlann, 
na  coiglm  pdola  na  peap, 
li-l  Choi^lit)  calma  an  cineab. 

TTlec  ^i^^i  piiaeldn  can  pell, 
bpugaoa  uaipli,  dipmenn, 
De^lep  ap  a  plog  ple^ac, 
'pc(  Re^lep  mop-muipepac. 


■^  Fidk  cruaichi This  generic  name  is 

now  lost,  but  the  prose  list  states  that  it 
comprised  Baile  Ui  Ruairc  and  Baile  na 
leargan  moire,  which  enables  us  to  fix  its 
position  ;  for  Baile  Ui  Euairc,  now  cor- 
rectly anglicised  Ballyrourke,  is  the  name 
of  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Balla,  ad- 
joining the  east  boundary  of  the  parish  of 
Manulla,  and  Baile  na  leargan  moire  is 
believed  to  be  the  neighbouring  townland 
of  Knockmore. 

"'  OPh-Eidhneachan. — This  name  is  still 
to  be  found  numerous  enough  in  the  parish 
of  Manulla,  where  it  is  anglicised  Heana- 
ghan,  without  the  prefix  O',  which  has 
been  rejected  for  the  last  two  centuries 
in   this  part   of  Ireland,  except    among 


Cul 

the  Milesian  gentry,  by  whom  it  is  now 
used  as  a  mark  of  distinction  between 
themselves  and  their  correlatives,  the  pea- 
santry of  the  same  race. 

^  Baile  an  bhealaigh,  i.  e.  the  town  of 
the  road  or  pass.  This  is  called  Bel  na 
leice  in  the  prose  list,  which  renders  it 
difficult  to  determine  what  place  it  is. 
There  is  a  Ballynalecka  in  the  parish  of 
BaUintober,  a  short  distance  to  the  north 
of  the  townlands  of  Caggaula,  already 
mentioned  ;  but  it  is  highly  probable,  that 
as  this  townland  belonged  to  the  family  of 
O'Ciaragain  ;  the  place  here  mentioned  is 
the  same  which  is  now  called  Baile  Ui 
Chiaragain,  i.  e.  O'Ciaragain's  town,  which 
lies  immediately  to  the  south  of  the  village 


195 


And  the  land  of  Fidh  cruaichr  of  banquets, — r 
On  wliich  are  shower-sliaken  hazles  of  white  bark, 
And  where  each  round  hill  is  protected  by  wattle  hedges,- 
Constitute  the  ancient  territory  of  O'h-Eidhnechan''. 

Baile  an  bhelaigh"",  it  is  certain  to  me, 

Is  O'Ciaragan's^, — I  will  not  conceal  it, — 

Neither  should  his  virtue  be  concealed. 

The  satin-dressed  ornament  of  each  old  habitation. 

Over  Baile  Crannain^,  without  blemish. 

Are  brughaidhs  (^farmers)  of  fierce  conflict, — 
Spare  ye  not  the  acquisitions  of  the  men, — 
The  O'Coigiidhs'',  a  brave  tribe. 

The  Mac  Gilli  Fhaelains"'  without  treachery, 
Noble  brughaidhs  {faryners),  I  reckon, 
Whose  spear-armed  host  have  good  array. 
Are  in  Eegles""  of  the  great  family. 


of  Balla,  in  the  parish  of  Balla. 

'^  Is  O'Ciaragari's. — This  name  is  now 
anglicised  Kerrigan,  and  there  are  persons 
of  the  name  to  be  found  in  various  parts 
of  the  barony  of  Carra,  and  in  the  town  of 
Castlebar. 

z  Baili  Crannain This  name  is  now  un- 
known in  Carra.  It  appears  from  the  prose 
list,  in  which  this  place  is  called  Crannan 
Tornaighe  or  RanTornaighe,  that  it  formed 
one  of  the  boundaries  of  the  territory  of 
Magh  Fhiondalbha,  now  Manulla  parish. 

O'Coiglidhs,  now  always  anglicised 
Quigly.  There  are  but  very  few  of  this 
name  at  present  in  Carra,  though  the 
name  is  common  in  other  parts  of  Ireland. 

''  Mac  Gilla  Fhaelains.  —  This  name  is 


Cul 

now  obsolete,  or  changed  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  it  cannot  be  identified. 

^  Regies.  —  It  is  strange,  that  in  the 
prose  list  the  estate  of  Mac  Gilla  Fhaelain 
is  called  Magh  Ruisen,  while  Regies,  or 
Baile  an  Regies,  i.  e.  the  town  of  the 
church,  is  made  the  estate  of  O'Cuachain,  a 
family  name  totally  omitted  in  the  poem. 
Magh  Ruisen  is  undoubtedly  the  towniand 
now  called  Euisin,  anglice  Rusheen,  situ- 
ated in  the  parish  of  Drum,  and  lying 
between  Clogher  and  Lisrobert.  Regies 
must  have  been  the  name  of  an  old  church 
in  this  vicinity.  Some  say  that  Regies 
Avas  the  name  of  an  old  church  in  the  pa- 
rish of  Balla. 


196 


Cul  Dain^in,  ^y  bpaenjiop  ban, 
Oipirh,  lTnai|ii  imlan, 
'c  0'rnail]iaici,  pial  an  pep, 
lep  b'aici  cliap  ip  coinOenn. 

Upi  baile  na  Uulca  cep, 

'c  O'bpo^dn,  t)o  puaip  aibnep, 
'p  'c  O'pa^aiiraig  cuaig  'cd  ui^, 
pa  nnolcaip  a  n-uaip  aenai^. 

Ueapmann  balla  pa'n  bint)  clui^, 
ponn  blair  Do  bennaig  pdDpaig;, 


pluai^ 


^  Cul  daingin,  i.  e.  the  back  of  the 
Dangan  or  fortress.  The  name  is  now 
unknown. 

*  Braen-ros,  i.  e.  the  droppy  wood,  or 
wood  of  drops.     Now  unknown. 

^  Oireamh,  now  well  known  in  Carra, 
and  anglicised  Errew  on  the  Ordnance 
Map,  and  Errue  by  Mr.  Balds.  It  is  situ- 
ated in  the  parish  of  Ballyhean,  and  about 
two  miles  from  the  great  abbey  of  Ballin- 
tober.  It  is  now  the  fee  simple  property  of 
James  Hardiman,  Esq.,  author  of  the  His- 
tory of  Galway,  who  has  granted  ten  acres 
of  it  for  ever,  in  pur  a  eleemosind,  to  lay 
monks  of  the  third  order  of  St.  Francis, 
under  the  condition  stated  in  their  char- 
ter, that  they  shall  keep  a  school  for  the 
education  of  the  children  of  the  vicinity 
in  the  usual  branches  of  English  education, 
and  also  in  the  Irish  language.  This 
school  has  been  open  since  the  first  of 
November,  1 842,  and  the  pupils,  who  had 
previously   no   opportunity  of  acquiring 


education  of  any  kind,  are  making  rapid 
progress  in  the  acquirement  of  English 
learning,  and  also  in  the  reading  and 
writing  of  the  native  language,  which  is 
stni  fluently  spoken  in  the  district. 

8  Imairi  (i.  e.  the  ridge),  now  obsolete. 
All  these  townlands,  whose  names  are  now 
forgotten,  and  which  are  set  down  here  as 
belonging  to  O'MaoUraite,  lay  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  Errew,  in  the  parish  of 
Ballyhean  ;  it  is  highly  probable  that  the 
place  here  called  Imairi  is  the  denomina- 
tion now  called  Cnoc  an  iomaire,  i.  e.  the 
hill  of  the  ridge. 

^  OPMailraite.  —  This  name,  which,  if 
analogically  anglicised,  would  be  O'Mul- 
ratty,  is  now  unknown  in  this  neighbour- 
hood under  that  form,  but  it  is  very  pro- 
bable that  it  is  the  same  which  is  now 
anglicised  Ratten. 

'  The  three  townlands  of  Tulach,  south. — 
In  the  prose  this  tract  of  land  is  called 
Tulach  Spealain,  i.  e.  Spellan's  Hill ;  Spel- 


197 


Ciil  Daingin'*  and  Braenros^  ban  [the  white], 
Oiremh^  and  the  entire  of  Imairi^ 
Belong  to  O'Mailraite'',  hospitable  the  man, 
To  whom  the  hterati  and  the  feast  were  pleasing. 

The  three  townlands  of  Tulach'  the  southern, 

Belong  to  O'Brogan^  who  has  enjoyed  happiness, 
And  the  northern  to  O'Faghartaigh,  who  at  his  house 
Is  praised  at  the  time  of  the  assembly. 

The  Termon  of  Balla",  where  sweetly  sound  the  bells, 
A  flowery  land,  which  Patrick  blest'. 


A 


Ian,  which  is  now  a  surname,  being  the  pro- 
per name  of  a  man,  formerly  common  in 
Ireland.  It  is  now  known  by  the  synoni- 
mous  name  of  Cnoc  Spealain,  which  is  the 
name  of  a  lofty  hill  lying  between  the  vil- 
lage of  Balla  and  Slieve  Carna,  in  the  ba- 
rony of  Carra. 

J  G'Brogan This  name  is  now  angli- 
cised Brogan,  and  there  are  persons  of  the 
name  in  the  townland  of  Eingarrane  and 
other  townlands  in  the  parish  of  Bally- 
hean,  and  throughout  the  barony  of  Carra. 
The  name  O'Faghartaigh  is  now  unknown 
in  this  district,  though  it  is  common  in 
the  county  of  Galway  under  the  anglicised 
form  of  Faherty. 

^  The  Termon  of  Balla. — ^This  Termon, 
according  to  the  prose  list,  comprised 
twenty-four  bally s  or  large  townlands, 
each  containing  about  480  Irish  acres,  so 
that  it  must  have  comprised  the  greater 
part  of  the  present  parish  of  Balla,  but 
the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  find  any 


record  in  which  these  townlands  are  given 
by  name.  This  Termon  was  probably 
held  by  O'Cearnaigh,  as  herenach,  or  he- 
reditary warden  of  the  church  of  Balla, 
but  he  seems  to  have  been  dispossessed  by 
a  branch  of  the  Burkes  at  an  early  period. 
These  Burkes,  styled  "  a«  Tearmoinn,''^ 
i.  e.  of  the  Termon,  cut  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  Irish  Annals,  particularly  in 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  when  Shane  an  Tear- 
moinn  Burke,  was  the  head  of  that  branch. 
'  Which  Patrick  blest.  —  There  is  no 
mention  made  of  Balla  in  any  of  the  lives 
of  St.  Patrick,  not  even  in  the  Tripartite 
Life,  published  by  Colgan,  which  mentions 
the  saint's  visit  to  Ceara,  unless  it  be  the 
place  called  Cuil  Chorra.  The  places  men- 
tioned in  the  Tripartite  Life  as  visited  by 
the  saint  during  his  stay  in  Ceara,  are 
Cuil  Corra,  and  Tobar  Stingle,  the  latter 
of  which  is  doubtless  the  present  Ballin- 
tober.  We  may,  however,  receive  the 
authority  of  the  Mac  Firbis,  in  141 7,  that 


198 


y^luai^  6  "CeiTTpai^  'cd  roja, 
pump  O'Ceapnaij  ceD  po^a. 

puaip  O'Caeman  na  C0I5  pen 
cuauli  Ruipin,  ip  pian  po  mep, 
ruac  raipec  peapann  na  peap, 
pen-ponn  cpaipech  i]^  claioem. 

puaip  O'RuaiDin  na  puag  mep 
6  Qcli  na  lub,  map  luaicep, 
CO  ponn  Cilli  na  n-^ap^  n-glan, 
pinne  co  h-dpD  'cd  n-dipem. 

O  rhacap  ClnlUn  na  n-gapg 

CO  h-Qrh  Sepit)  na  paep  bdpt), 


this  spot  was  then  believed  to  have  been 
consecrated  by  St.  Patrick's  visit  thereto, 
when  he  was  preaching  the  Gospel  in  the 
territory  of  Ceara,  but  the  first  church 
seems  to  have  been  built  at  Balla  by  St. 
Cronan,  otherwise  called  Mochua,  who 
died  in  the  year  637,  and  whose  memory 
was  celebrated  there,  according  to  the 
Irish  calendars,  on  the  30th  of  March.  Its 
ancient  ecclesiastical  importance  is  suffi- 
ciently indicated  by  the  remains  of  a  Eound 
Tower,  of  the  height  of  which  about  forty 
feet  remain.  Near  it  are  the  ruins  of  a 
smaU  ancient  church,  built  of  the  same 
stone,  and  evidently  of  the  same  date  and 
workmanship  as  the  Tower.  For  some 
historical  notices  of  this  place  see  Colgan's 
Acta  Sanctorum,  p.  790,  and  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters,  at  the  years  637, 
1 179,  1226,  1236. 
""  A  host  from  Tara,  S,x.,  that  is,  others 


agup 

of  the  royal  race  of  Tara  contending  for 
this  Termon.  Sluaij  6  Chempaij  '56 
roja  is  the  reading  given  by  Duald  Mac 
Firbis. 

"^  Tuath  Ruisen. — This  tract  of  land  is 
called,  in  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this 
poem,  by  the  alias  name  of  Eos  laogh, 
which  is  now  the  name  of  a  parish  in  the 
barony  of  Carra,  anglicised  Eosslee,  and 
described  as  containing  seven  ballys,  and 
extending  from  Cluain  Lis  Nellin  to  Beul 
atha  na  lub,  now  Newbrook,  and  from 
Beul  athanag-carr  to  Muilleann  Tiormain. 
It  appears  also  to  have  borne  the  name  of 
Tuath  Aitheachda,  i.  e.  territorium  Atta- 
cotticum,  from  its  having  been  one  of  the 
last  districts  in  Connaught  held  by  a  tribe 
of  the  Belgic  race,  who  were  universally 
called  Aitheachs,  or  plebeians,  by  their 
Scotic  conquerors.  From  these  facts  it 
appears  pretty  certain  that  the  district  of 


199 


A  host  from  Tara  selecting  it"", 

O'Cearnaigh  obtained,  as  his  first  choice. 
O'Caomhan  of  the  ancient  swords  obtained 

Tuath  Riiisin",  vigorous  his  career, 

A  princely  district,  soil  of  heroes, 

Old  land  of  lances  and  swords. 
0'Ruaidhin°  of  the  rapid  onsets  got 

The  tract  stretching  from  Ath  na  lub^,  as  is  reported, 

To  the  land  of  fair  Cill  na  n-garg"*, 

"We  are  proudly  counting  them. 
From  the  causeway  of  CiUin  na  n-garg*", 

To  Ath  Seisidh'  of  the  noble  bards, 


And 


Tuath  Ruisen  comprised  all  the  parish  of 
Tuaghta  and  the  greater  part,  if  not  the 
entire,  of  that  of  Eosslee. 

°  G'Ruaidhin. — This  family  name  has 
been  changed  to  O'Ruadhain,  anglice  Eu- 
ane,  and  there  are  still  people  of  the  name 
in  the  tract  here  described. 

P  Ath  na  lub,  called  in  the  prose  tract 
Beul  atha  na  lub,  which  is  the  name  of 
the  place  at  the  present  day  in  Irish  ;  it 
is  now  anglicised  Newbrook,  and  is  well 
known  under  both  forms  as  the  seat  of 
Lord  Clanmorris. 

^  Cill  na  n-garg,  called  in  the  prose  list 
Cillinn  an-garg,  which  is  the  true  name,  but 
the  poet  was  here  obliged  to  shorten  it  by 
a  syllable  to  fit  his  heptasy liable  measure. 
This  place  is  now  popularly  called  Cillin, 
anglice  Killeen,  and  lies  between  Beal 
atha  na  lub,  or  Newbrook,  and  Brooms- 
town,  in  the  parish  of  Robeen,  which  being 


outside  the  boundary  of  the  present  ba- 
rony of  Carra,  shows  that  the  modern 
barony  is  not  co-extensive  with  the  an- 
cient territory  whose  name  it  bears. 

■■  The  causeway  of  Cillin  na  n-garg — 
Here  the  poet  gives  the  true  name,  his 
measure  admitting  the  additional  syllable 
in  Cillin.  This  Togher  or  causeway  of 
Killeen,  which  is  still  a  remarkable  feature 
on  the  land,  is  well  known  to  this  day, 
and  now  gives  name  to  a  distinct  town- 
land  and  gentleman's  seat,  adjoining  Kil- 
leen to  the  east. 

*  Ath  Seisidh,  now  corruptly  called  Beal 
atha  na  siodh,  Bealanashee,  and  supposed 
to  signify  the  ford  of  the  fairies — Os  vadi 
lemurum  seu  geniorum.  It  is  in  the  pa- 
rish of  Robeen,  north  of  Ballinrobe,  and 
popularly  believed  to  be  haunted  by  the 
fairies,  which  induces  the  country  peo- 
ple to  hurry  home  in  the  winter  from  the 


200 


a^uy^  Robfn  pint)  anaiyi, 
poiDin  ^y  gynnn  le  ^^tUciib. 

O  Shi^in  Chiayiain  na  clog 
CO  Uobaji  Cusna  Idn-bo^, 
puaip  0'5i|in  in  ponn  plet)ac}i, 
Oa'p  pill  coll  pa  ceit)-pe6ac. 

O'n  Uobaji  co  Gael  na  each, 
Pooba  ip  Rachain  pa  Qenac, 


O'JoipiTiSictlla 


market  of  Ballinrobe  to  arrive  by  day  light 
at  this  ford,  which  they  must  cross  whe- 
ther they  take  the  high  road  or  the  short 
cut  through  the  fields. 

'  Robin,  now  Eobeen,  the  name  of  a 
townland  bordering  on  the  Eobe,  where 
that  river  winds  in  a  remarkable  manner, 
in  the  parish  of  Robeen,  lying  to  the  north- 
east of  the  town  of  Ballinrobe. 

"  A  little  spot  which  is  delightful  to  the 

strangers This  line  clearly  shows  that 

Robeen  was,  in  the  time  of  the  writer 
(141 7),  in  the  possession  of  the  Galls  or 
strangers,  the  name  by  which  the  Irish 
then  designated  the  English  settlers.  There 
are  still  to  be  seen  at  the  place  the  ruins 
of  a  castle  and  church  of  considerable  anti- 
quity, said  to  have  been  erected  by  the 
family  of  Burke.  According  to  the  An- 
nals of  the  Four  Masters  the  territories  of 
Muintir  Murchadha,  now  the  barony  of 
Clare,  in  the  county  of  Galway,  Con- 
maicne  Cviile  Toladh,  now  the  barony  of 
Kilmaine,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  and 
Ceara,  now  the  barony  of  Carra,  were 
castellated  by  the  English  Barons  of  Ire- 


land in  the  year  1238. 

^  Sighin  Chiarain  of  the  bells.  —  This 
shows  that  there  was  a  church  at  the  place. 
It  is  supposed  to  be  the  place  now  called 
Sighean,  lying  a  short  distance  to  the 
south  of  Cloonagashel  house,  in  the  parish 
of  Ballinrobe,  and  to  the  right  of  the  road 
as  you  go  from  the  town  of  Ballinrobe  to 
Cloonagashel. 

""  Tobar  Lughna,  i.  e.  the  well  of  St. 
Lughna,  or  Lughnat,  the  nephew  of  St. 
Patrick,  who  is  called  in  the  Irish  calen- 
dars Lughnat  of  Loch  Measca,  the  luamaire, 
or  pilot,  of  St.  Patrick — See  Petrie's 
Essay  on  the  Round  Towers  of  Ireland, 
for  further  notices  of  this  saint.  Tobar 
Lughna,  anglice  Toberloona,  is  still  well 
known  in  the  country,  and  the  name  is 
still  applied  to  the  original  object,  namely, 
a  holy  well  dedicated  to  St.  Lughnat,  near 
which  are  the  ruins  of  an  old  church  close 
to  Cartoon  Deer  Park,  in  the  parish  of 
Robeen,  which  is  south  of  the  boundary 
of  the  modern  barony  of  Carra,  in  the  ba- 
rony of  Kilmaine. 


2or 


And  Robin'  being  to  the  east  of  us, 
A  little  spot  which  is  delightful  to  the  strangers". 
And  from  Sisfhin  Chiarain  of  the  bells'" 

o 

To  Tobar  Lughna"",  the  soft  [i.  e.  hoggy'], 
O'Biru''  obtained  that  festive  land, 
For  whom  the  hazle^  waved  in  hundred  tendrils. 
From  the  Tobar  to  Cao?  of  the  battles, 
Rodhba  and  Rathain  under  Aenach% 

O'Goirmghiolla 


^  G'Birn This  name  is  still  in  the 

very  district  here  described,  but  it  is  an- 
glicised Byrne.  In  the  county  of  Eos- 
common  the  same  name  is  sometimes  angli- 
cised Bruin  by  the  peasantry,  butO'Beirne 
by  the  gentry,  and  in  other  parts  of  Ireland 
it  has  been  metamorphosed  into  Byron. 

y  For  whom  the  hazel,  Sj-c The  frequent 

allusions  made  to  this  tree  in  this  poem, 
and  also  in  the  topographical  poem  of 
O'Dugan,  written  nearly  a  century  earlier, 
show  that  the  Irish  valued  it  highly.  They 
probably  used  its  fruit  to  feed  their  herds 
of  swine,  and  there  can  be  doubt  that 
they  used  nuts  and  shamrocks  in  hard 
summers  to  feed  themselves. 

^  JFrom  the  Tobar  to  Caol,  i.  e.  from  To- 
bar Lughna  to  the  Caol,  or  narrow  strait 
which  connects  Lough  Carra  with  Lough 
Mask,  and  divides  Partry  from  Kilmaine 
barony.  Mr.  J.  O'Flaherty  of  Galway 
says  in  his  reply  to  queries  proposed  by. 
the  Editor  respecting  localities  in  the 
neighbourhood,  that  the  name  Caol,  or 
Keel,  is  applied  to  the  narrowest  part  of 
Lough  Carra,  Avhere  it  discharges  its 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2 


waters  into  Lough  Mask.  "  There  is,"  he 
adds,  "  a  bridge  over  this  Caol,  or  strait, 
called  Keel  Bridge,  which  is  on  the  boun- 
dary between  the  baronies  of  Carra  and 
Kilmaine  ;  and  in  the  winter  the  waters 
of  Lough  Carra  and  Lough  Mask  meet  to 
the  south-west  of  this  bridge."  This  Caol, 
or  strait,  may  be  described  as  the  river  by 
which  Lough  Carra  discharges  its  super- 
abundant waters  into  Lough  Mask.  For 
the  situation  of  the  Bridge  which  retains 
the  name,  and  the  relative  position  of 
these  lakes,  see  Ordnance  Map  of  Mayo, 
sheet  109,  and  Balds'  Map,  sheet  19. 

^  Rodhba  and  Rathain  under  Aenach. — 
The  boundaries  and  extent  of  this  district 
are  better  described  in  the  prose  list, 
thus,  "  The  lordship  of  O'Goirmghiolla 
extends  from  Tobar  Liighna  to  the  ford 
of  Caol  Partraighe,  and  from  the  Eodhba 
to  Raithleann."  It  contains  seven  ballys 
\townlands~\  and  a  half.  The  place  hei'e 
called  Raithleann  is  now  called  Eealin,  and 
is  ajDplied  to  a  woody  district  on  the  brink 
of  Lough  Carra,  between  Brownstown 
house  and  the  bridge  of  Keel. 
D 


202 


O'JoijiTYi^ialla  puaiji  a  ponn, 
pluai5  po  c]ioTn  gialla  eccpann. 
Upi  baili  an  Cpiacpai^,  can  eel, 
'c  O'TTlailcdnd  nap  cdinet), 
ip  TTlec  Ji^^i  buiDi  binD, 
cuipi  na  Cilli  luaiDim. 

bailci-puipr 


^  0'' Goirmghialla This  name  is  still  in 

Carra,  and  generally  anglicised  Gormilly, 
though  some  render  it  Gormley.  This 
description  shows  that  O'Goirmialla  was 
not  chief  of  Partry,  as  stated  in  the  prose 
list  already  given,  for  his  district  lay  east 
of  Keel,  which  is  the  eastern  limit  of  the 
territory  of  Partry. 

•^  Under  the  heavy  thraldom  of  foreigners. 
— This  affords  an  additional  evidence  that 
the  territory  of  Ceara  was  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  English  settlers  in  the  time  of 
the  writer.  It  is  quite  obvious,  from  the 
ruins  of  the  castles  and  other  edifices  still 
remaining,  and  from  the  notices  preserved 
in  the  Irish  annals,  of  others  which  have 
been  destroyed  or  modernized,  that  the 
English  had  fortified  themselves  against 
the  assatdts  of  the  native  Irish  in  this 
beautiful  territory  at  a  very  early  period. 
These  castles  are,  i,  Caislean  na  Caillighe, 
or  the  Hag's  castle,  situated  in  Lough  Mask, 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  river  Eobe  ;  it 
is  a  round  building  of  vast  circumference, 
and  is  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  as  early  as  the  year  1 195  ; 
2,  Caislean  na  Caillighe,  on  Hag  Island, 
in  Lough  Carra,  opposite  Annies  ;  3,  Cais- 
lean na  Circe,  in  Lough  Carra,  on  Castle 


Island ;  and,  4,  Eobeen  Castle,  already 
mentioned.  The  others  now  remaining 
are  evidently  of  a  later  age.  To  these 
may  be  added  the  great  castle  of  Bally- 
loughmask,  which  was  rebuilt  in  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and 
another  very  remarkable  monument  of 
English  power  in  this  territory  at  an  early 
period,  namely,  the  Abbey  of  Burriscarra, 
supposed  to  have  been  erected  by  the 
Burkes  in  the  thirteenth  century  for  Car- 
melites or  White  Friars,  but  the  exact 
year  of  its  foundation  is  not  on  record,  or 
at  least  is  not  yet  discovered.  It  was 
granted  by  Pope  John  XXIII.  in  the  year 
1 4 1 2 ,  to  Eremites  of  the  Augustinian  order. 
Downing,  who  wrote  a  short  account  of 
the  county  of  Mayo  about  the  year  1685, 
for  Sir  William  Petty's  intended  Atlas, 
thus  describes  this  barony : — "  The  barony 
of  Scarra"  \recte  Carra]  "  or  Burriscarra, 
lyeth  next  to  Kilmayne,  which  standeth 
upon  the  brinke  of  a  great  lough,  called 
Lough  Carra,  by  the  ancients  Fionnlough 
Carra,  which  is  said  to  have  been  one  of 
the  three  loughs  of  Ireland  that  first 
sprung.  On  it  is  a  small  abbey,  or  rather 
nunnery,  called  Annagh  or  Any.  It  was 
founded  and  given  by  Thomas  Burke,  the 


203 

O'Goirmghialla"  obtained  that  land 

Whose  hosts  are  now  under  the  heavy  thraldom  of  foreigners'. 

The  three  townlands  of  Criathrach^  without  concealment, 

Belong  to  0'Mailcana^  who  was  never  dispraised, 

And  to  the  melodious  Mac  GiUi  buidhi's^ 

The  host  of  Cill^  I  recount. 

The 

his  letter  to  the  Editor,  says,  that  Creagh, 
the  seat  of  James  Cuffe,  Esq.,  as  well  as 
the  townland  on  which  it  stands,  is  always 
called  Criaharagh  by  the  natives,  in  Irish, 
and  that  the  term  cpiacpac  is  applied  in 
Carra  to  a  flat  piece  of  land  intermixed 
with  arable,  bogs,  sedgy  quagmires  and 
brushwood. 

«  OPMailmna. — There  is  no  trace  of  this 
name  now  discoverable  in  the  barony  of 
Carra. 

^Mac  Gilli  bhmdhi''s,  now  anglicised  Kil- 
boy  in  this  district,  but  in  other  parts  of 
Ireland  more  generally  Mac  Avoy,  which 
is  a  strange  corruption  of  the  name. 

s  The  host  of  Gill  I  recount — The  poet 
has  thrown  this  description  into  his  verse 
in  a  very  awkward  and  obscure  manner  ; 
but  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as  it  was 
difficult  for  him  to  insert  every  name  into 
his  heptasyllabic  metre  without  lopping 
off  some  syllables.  More  skilful  poets  were 
obliged  to  omit  topographical  names  alto- 
gether. 
"  Quatuor  hinc  rapimur  viginti  et  millia  rhedis, 

Mansiiri  oppidulo,  quod  versu  dicere  non  est. 

Horace. 

It  is  much  more  intelligibly  given  in 
the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem,  thus: 
D2 


chief  of  the  Burkes  of  Mayo,  to  the  abbot 
of  Cong,  upon  condition  that  if  any  wo- 
man of  his  posterity  would  vow  chastity, 
the  abbot  of  Cong  should  maintain  her 
during  her  life,  as  appears  by  the  several 
inquisitions  after  the  dissolution  of  Cong. 
The  next  place  of  note  in  this  barony  is 
the  abbey  of  Burriscarra,  of  the  order  of 
St.  Augustine,  standing  upon  the  side  of 
the  said  lake  or  lough." 

^  The  three  townlands  of  Criathrach. — 
As  the  river  Eobe  formed  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  territory  of  Ceara,  it  is 
quite  clear  that  these  three  townlands 
could  not  have  been  on  the  south  side  of 
it.  It  will  follow,  therefore,  that  they 
were  included  in  the  estate  of  O'Gorm- 
ghialla,  which  extended  from  the  Robe  to 
Raithleann,  and  from  Toberloona  to  Keel 
Partry.  Hence  it  must  be  inferred,  that 
O'Mailcana  and  Mac  Gillibhuidhi  were 
Brughaidhs,  or  tenants  to  O'Goirmghialla, 
who,  in  comparison  with  them,  was  a 
petty  chieftain.  The  name  Criathrach  is 
stiU  well  known  in  this  district,  but  an- 
glicised to  Creaghe,  which  is  the  name  of 
a  townland  containing  the  seat  of  James 
Cuffe,  Esq. 

Mr.  James  O'Flaherty  of  Galway,  in 


204 


bailci-puipc  an  cijii  rep, 

peajic  Couaiji  ap  loji  o'aibney, 
in  c-Qenach,  Loc  biiaDai^  binO. 
ap  plua^aib  co  moc  maiDim. 

Oo  cloint)  Gipc  Chulbufoi,  ao  clop, 
pip  Uhfpi  na  ppeb  polup, 
a^up  Clann  Ciian  can  col, 
nap  gann  upan  ap  ollarh. 

Qp  ChloinD  Cuan  na  cpec  cponn 
rpf  caipi^  Do  clecc  comlonn, 


banba 


"  The  three  townlands  of  Criathrach  are 
the  estate  of  O'Maoilcana,  and  the  family 
of  Mac  Giolla  bhuidlie  possess  Cillin  na 
m-buidhean,  in  Criathrach."  There  can 
be  little  doubt  that  the  Cillin  na  m-bui- 
dhean here  mentioned  was  the  ancient 
name  of  the  little  church  of  CUlin  or  Kil- 
leen,  lying  a  short  distance  to  the  west 
of  the  town  of  Ballinrobe,  for  it  is  quite 
clear  that  the  district  of  Criathrach,  now 
Creaghe,  which  originally  contained  three 
ballys,  or  ancient  Irish  townlands,  or  about 
1440  Irish  acres,  was  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river  Eobe,  and  extended  from 
Lough  Mask  eastwards  to  the  point  where 
the  river  winds  southwards  before  it  en- 
ters the  town  of  Ballinrobe.  It  will  be 
necessary  here  to  observe  that  there  are 
few,  if  any,  townlands  now  so  extensive 
as  the  ancient  Irish  ballybetaghs,  thirty 
of  which  made  a  triocha  chead,  or  120 
quarters,  and  that  the  denominations  of 
land  in  modern  times  called  townlands  are 
generally  quarters    of  the   ancient  Irish 


ballybetaghs.  In  many  instances  the  an- 
cient names  of  the  ballybetaghs  are  lost, 
and  the  names  of  their  subdivisions  only 
are  retained  as  townland  names  ;  but  in 
some  instances  the  name  of  the  ballybe- 
tagh  remains,  although  it  is  not  applied  to 
as  large  a  tract  of  land  as  it  was  originally, 
as  exemplified  in  Criathrach,  which  is  still 
the  name  of  a  townland,  but  not  comprising 
the  one-tenth  of  the  area  originally  con- 
tained under  that  appellation See  Ad- 
denda for  further  remarks  on  the  ancient 
division  of  territories  in  Ireland. 

^  Feart  Lothair. — This  name  is  now  un- 
known in  Carra.  It  was  the  seat  of  Olioll 
Inbanda,  King  of  Connaught,  who  was 
slain  in  544. — See  Colgan,  Acta  SS.  p.  752. 

'  Aenach This  is  probably  the  place 

called  Annies,  situated  on  Lough  Carra, 
in  the  north-western  extremity  of  the  pa- 
rish of  Eobeen.  There  were  a  nunnery 
and  a  castle  at  this  place.  There  is  no 
other  place  in  the  barony  of  Carra  called 
by  any  name  like  Aenach,  which  signifies 


205 

The  chief  seats  of  this  southern  territory  [i.  e.  Ceara] 
Are  Feart  Lothair*"  of  much  happiness, 
Aenach',  and  the  sweet  Locli  Buadliaigli^ ; 
Before  the  multitudes  I  early  boast  of  them. 

Of  the  race  of  Earc  Culblmidhi,  it  was  heard, 
Are  the  Fir  Thire  of  pellucid  streams, 
And  the  Clann  Cuain  without  stain, 
Who  showed  no  small  kindness  to  the  bard. 

Over  Clann  Cuain""  of  heavy  preys 

"Were  three  chieftains  accustomed  to  conflict, 


Who 


a  fair,  or  meeting  of  the  people,  or  a  place 
where  such  meetings  are  held. 

J  Lough  Buadhaigh,  now  probably 
Lough  Boy,  in  the  parish  of  ManuUa  ;  but 
there  is  another  place  of  the  name  in  the 
parish  of  Islandeady,  also  in  Ceara. 

^  The  Clann  Cuain The  situation  of 

the  territory  of  this  clann  is  distinctly 
pointed  out  in  the  prose  tract  prefixed  to 
this  poem,  both  as  given  by  Duald  Mac 
Firbis  and  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  thus : 
"  O'Cuinn,  O'Maoilf  hiona,  and  Mag  Fhlan- 
nagain  are  the  three  chiefs  of  Clann  Cuain. 
They  are  otherwise  called  Fir  Thire,  and 
also  Fir  Siiiire,  from  a  river  of  the  name 
Siuir,  which  flows  by  the  town  at  this 
day,  called  Caislen  an  Bharraigh."  This 
is  now  called  the  Castlebar  river.  It  issues 
from  a  lake  lying  a  short  distance  to  the 
west  of  the  town  of  Castlebar,  and  flowing 
through  the  town  it  takes  a  north-eastern 
course  until  it  passes  through  the  demesne 
of  Turlough,  and  close  by  the  round  tower 


of  Turlough.  At  the  townland  of  Drum- 
daff  it  unites  with  a  large  stream  which 
rises  in  the  parish  of  Manulla,  and  their 
waters  flow  in  a  circuitous  northern  course 
until  they  fall  into  a  small  lake  at  Curra- 
neard,  out  of  the  western  side  of  which 
their  united  waters  issue,  and  flow  west- 
wards to  receive  the  waters  of  the  Clydagh, 
which  carries  with  it  the  tributes  of  many 
smaller  streams  from  the  mountains.  These 
united  streams  form  a  considerable  river, 
which  flows  in  a  northern  direction  between 
the  parishes  of  Turlough  and  Templemore, 
and  discharges  itself  into  Lough  CuUin, 
at  its  extreme  southern  point. — See  Ord- 
nance Map  of  Mayo,  sheets  60,  69,  70,  71, 
78,  and  Balds'  Map,  sheets  13,  14.  From 
the  position  of  this  river  it  is  quite  evident 
that  the  Fir  Siuire,  or  Clann  Cuain,  were 
seated  in  the  parishes  of  Islandeady,  Tur- 
logh,  and  Breaghwy,  or  Breaffy,  which 
form  the  northern  portion  of  the  present 
barony  of  Carra. 


206 


banba  t)o  ruill  t)'d  ro^a, 
O'Cuint)  calma  a  cet)  po^a. 

TTla^  Lanna^an  na  clech  copp, 
le|i  h-aiji^eaD  oijiep  eccyianD, 
O'lTlailfna  call  'na  coi^, 
pa  cjiann  t)ina  Do  Damoib. 

Da  ^ab  O'Cinnt)  uaip  eli 
caipjecr  dp  npi-ne, 
pa  Cjiuaio  a  comlanD  ^ya  ceinn, 
OoTTinall,  no  co  puai]i  oilbeim. 

'C  O'ChuinD  cdpla  'cd  caga 
injean  dlaint)  aencanna, 
nocap  ^ab  pi  coma  cpuit), 
ip  1  'ca  uo^a  ag  cpiaruib. 


^  W/^o  deserved  all  Banba,  <$^c.,  i.  e.  who 
deserved  to  be  monarch  of  Ireland  for  his 
taste  and  skill  in  selecting  so  fertile  and 
beautiful  a  district. 

"*  The  brave  0''Cuinn,  now  anglicised 
Quin,  a  name  still  to  be  found  in  Carra, 
but  there  was  more  than  one  family  of 
this  name  of  a  different  sept  even  in  the 
district  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach. 

°  Mag  Lannagan,  recte  Mag  Fhlanna- 
gain,  i.  e.  filius  Flannagani.  It  is  to  be 
remarked  that  the  old  Irish  writers  some- 
times omitted  inserting  the  i  to  mark  the 
genitive  case ;  and  that  when  the  initial 
F  was  aspirated  they  sometimes  left  it  out 
altogether,  as  in  the  present  instance.  This 
name  would  be  anglicised,  according  to 
analogy,  Mac,  or  Mag  Lanagan,  but  the 
Mac,  or  Mag  has  been  long  rejected,  and 


"Cdpla 

the  latter  part  of  the  name  only  retained. 
There  are  families  of  the  name  Lanagan 
and  Flanagan  still  in  Carra,  but  the  0'  and 
Mac  are  rejected  in  the  anglicised  form, 
though  retained  in  the  Irish  pronunci- 
ation. 

°  O'^Mailina This  was  a  different  family 

from  O'Mailina  or  O'Maoilfhiona,  after 
whom  the  little  town  of  Crossmolina,  in  the 
barony  of  Tirawley,  took  its  name.  For 
the  descent  of  the  latter  see  page  1 3.  The 
former  was  descended  from  Earc  Cul- 
bhuidhe,  the  progenitor  of  all  the  men  of 
Ceara. 

P  Of  this  our  territory,  i.  e.  of  the  terri- 
tory of  which  we  are  now  treating.  Qp, 
our,  in  this  line,  is  used  in  the  same  sense 
as  we  commonly  use  "  our  author,"  "  our 
hero,"  &c.,  in  English. 


207 


Who  deserved  all  Banba  \_Ir eland']  for  selecting  it'  [  Clann  Cuaiti] , 

The  brave  O'Cuinn™  was  their  first  choice. 
Mag  Lannagan"  of  the  smooth  shafts, 

By  whom  the  districts  of  strangers  were  plundered, 

And  0'Mailina°,  who,  yonder  at  his  house, 

Was  the  sheltering  tree  of  the  learned. 
O'Cuinn  one  time  obtained 

The  chieftainship  of  this  our  territory'', 

Hardy  were  the  conflict  and  career. 

Of  DomhnalP,  until  he  received  disgrace. 
O'Cuinn  happened  to  have 

A  beautiful  marriageable  daughter  wlio  was  wooed ; 

She  did  not  receive  a  gift  of  cattle"" 

Though  she  was  wooed  by  chieftains. 

There 


^  Domhnall,  i.  e.  Domlinall  was  the 
name  of  the  O'Quin,  when  this  occurrence 
took  place. 

■^  A  gift  of  cattle The  reward  given 

by  the  husband  to  the  wife  was  often 
called  the  coibce,  or  cinnpcpa,  which  may 
be  translated  by  the  English  word  dower, 
though  it  rather  means  a  present  made  to 
the  wife  than  any  fixed  estate  settled  upon 
her.  It  appears  from  a  vellum  MS.  pre- 
served in  the  Library  of  Trinity  College, 
Dublin  (H.  3.  18.  p.  632),  that  presents 
of  this  kind  were  known  by  four  distinct 
names,  viz.,  slabhra,  coibhche,  tochra,  and 
tinnscra.  The  slabhra  was  a  present  in 
live  cattle  and  horse-bridles  ;  the  coibhche 
in  clothes  and  warriors ;  the  tochra  in 
sheep  and  swine  ;  and  the  tinnscra  in  gold, 
silver,  and  copper  or  brass.     It  is  added, 


that  the  first  coibhche  given  to  each  daugh- 
ter belonged  to  the  father,  and  that  the 
word  tinnscra  originally  meant  a  bar  of 
gold  weighing  three  ounces.  The  custom 
of  making  presents  to  the  wife  and  her 
father  also  prevailed  among  the  Jews  ; — 
see  Genesis,  xxiv.  22,  53  ; — and  is  still  ob- 
served among  the  Turks,  on  which  a 
modern  satirist  remarks : 

"  Though  this  seems  odd, 
'Tis  true  :  the  reason  is,  that  the  Bashaw 
Must  make  a  present  to  his  sire-in-law. " 

Cuan  O'Lochain,  or  whoever  wrote  the 
old  poem  on  the  origin  of  the  name  of  Tara 
Hill,  also  alludes  to  this  ancient  Irish  cus- 
tom where  he  says  that  Tea,  the  daughter 
of  Lughaidh,  asked  this  hill  as  her  ellamh 
or  dowry,  when  Heremon  was  wooing 
her.     The  custom  is  also  very  frequently 


2o8 


Uajila  pe  lint)  ip  np  rep 

pf  O'phiacpac  puaip  aibnep, 
PuaiDpi,  mac  "Cairlig  na  cpeb, 
plac  t)'dp  aichm^  cac  int)bep. 

Co  cec  h-1  ChuinD  na  upeb  ce, 
reic  0'Dubt)a  d  Oun  gimipe, 
menne  nnop  pint)  Tnin^e  pdil, 
ap  poD  ipjaili  t)'pdt)bdil. 

Da  chf  l?iiait)pi  na  pua^  meap 
an  in^m  cen-t)ub  cnep  jel, 
a  n-t)opup  an  ^piandin  glain, 
polup  an  ciab  naip  cobpaiD. 


5pdt)af5ip 


alluded  to  in  the  most  ancient  romantic 
stories  about  tlie  famous  warrior  Finn 
Mac  CumLaill,  wlio  appears  to  have  been 
very  liberal  in  bestowing  tinscras  on  all 
his  wives  and  concubines. 

^  The  southern  district The  territory  of 

Ceara  is  so  called  as  being  the  most  south- 
ern portion  of  the  territory  of  the  northern 
Hy-Fiachrach. 

^  Ruaidhri,  son   of  Taithleach This 

chieftain  is  set  down  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis, 
in  his  short  annals  of  the  O'Dowd  family, 
as  having  succeeded  Aodh,  the  son  of 
Muircheartach  O'Dowd,  who  died  in  the 
year  1143,  and  as  having  preceded  Cos- 
namhach,  who  was  slain  in  the  year  1 1 62. 
It  is,  therefore,  quite  evident  that  this 
Euaidhri  was  the  son  of  Taithleach,  who 
was  the  son  ofNiall,  who  was  son  of  Maoil- 
eachlainn,  who  died  in  1005,  who  was  son 
of  Maolruanaidh,  the  son  of  Aodh,  Kino-  of 


North  Connaught,  who  died  in  983. 

"  A  fishing  rod  to  whom  evert/  river  was 
known. — The  word  innbher  properly  signi- 
fies the  mouth  of  a  river.  This  line  con- 
veys, it  is  to  be  feared,  an  obscene  compa- 
rison, which  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  a 
dry,  historical  poem  of  this  nature. 

■*^  Dun  Guaire,  i,  e.  the  fort  of  Guaire. 
This,  which  is  the  real  name  of  a  place  in 
the  country  of  the  Cinel  Guaire,  in  South 
Hy-Fiachrach  (see  p.  67,  Note  p),  is  intro- 
duced here  by  a  wild  poetical  license,  of 
Avhich  the  Irish  bards  were  fond  to  an  ex- 
travagance, and  which  creates  a  confusion 
and  obscurity  difficult  to  be  removed,  and 
which,  in  some  instances,  cannot  satisfac- 
torily be  removed. — See  Battle  of  Magh 
Rath,  where  King  Domhnall  is  called  of 
Tailltenn,  of  Tara,  of  Uisneach,  of  Derry, 
of  Dun  Baloir,  though  he  never  resided  at 
any  of  those  places. 


209 


There  came  at  tlie  time  into  the  southern  district* 

The  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  who  had  enjoyed  happiness, 

Ruaidhri,  son  of  Taithleach'  of  the  tribes, 

A^  fishing  rod  to  whom  every  river  was  known". 

To  the  house  of  O'Cuinn  of  fiery  tribes 
Went  O'Dubhda  of  Dun  Guaire', 
The  great  pillar  of  the  fair  plain  of  Fair, 
To  get  his  warlike  refection''. 

Ruaidhri  of  the  rapid  onsets  viewed 

The  black-haired,  fair-skinned  daughter^, 
In  the  door  of  her  beauteous  Grianan^ ; 
The  steady,  modest  maiden  was  brightness\ 


"  The  plain  of  Fail,  i.  e.  Ireland. 

*  To  get  his  warlike  refection When 

the  chief  set  out  on  his  regal  visitation  his 
sub-chiefs  were  obliged  to  entertain  him- 
self and  his  retinue  for  a  certain  time ; 
and  his  demands  were  sometimes  so  ex- 
orbitant that  he  was  often  under  the 
necessity  of  exacting  them  by  force.  Many 
instances  are  recorded  in  the  Irish  annals 
of  chieftains  having  forced  refection  from 
their  subjects  by  the  sword  ;  but  it  must 
be  acknowledged  that  in  most  of  those  in- 
stances the  subjects  had  denied  their  claim 
on  the  grounds  that  they  were  not  the 
rightful  heirs. 

y  The  black-haired,  fair-skinned  daugh- 
ter— The  Irish  idea  of  female  beauty  is 
that  the  black  hair  is  the  most  beautiful 
when  the  skin  is  fair,  but  if  the  skin  be 
yellow  it  destroys  the  effect  of  the  colour 
of  the  hair.     Eed  hair  always  accompanies 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2 


Ruaidhri 

a  fair  skin,  and,  therefore,  neither  it  nor 
its  accompanying  fair  skin  is  admired  by 
the  Irish.  It  appears,  however,  that  by 
far  the  greater  part  of  the  Milesian  or 
Scotic  people  in  Ireland  were  fair-haired, 
indeed  they  are  so  at  the  present  day,  and 
hence  we  find  their  bards  admire  the  fair 
colour  of  the  hair  oftener  than  any  other. 

2  In  the  door  of  her  beauteous  Grianan. — 
For  a  full  explanation  of  the  meaning  of 
the  word  grianan,  which  here  means  a 
boudoir,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Battle 
of  Magh  Rath,  p.  7,  Note  ^. 

*  The  steady  modest  maiden  was  bright- 
ness, written  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  polup 
an  ciab-naip  coBpaiD.  It  is  impossible  to 
render  this  line  literally  into  English  :  it 
would  stand  thus  in  Latin,  preserving  the 
order  of  the  Irish  words :  "  Lux  fuit  « 
crinita-modeste  placida." 


E 


2IO 


^pcioafgip  T?ucnt)pi  an  jiuipc  cnijip 
an  mgen  aeboa,  dlumo ; 
}y  cpen  cdjila  ap  a  aipi 
Oamna  oep  oo'n  oeg-baili. 

Da  nf  O'Duboa  d  Dun  Chuint) 
ainOeom  inline  Domnaill; 
le  rpen  6  cdmg  apueac 
pdni5  an  peel  co  pcailcec. 

ITIapbrap  pi  l?dra  bpanDuib 
le  O'Cuint)  t)o  copp-lannaib, 
map  t)o  bd  a  m-bae^al  bepna, 
'na  aenap  rpa  an  cigeapna. 

UeiD,  CO  moc  ap  na  mdpac, 

O'Cumo  na  pluaj  pogpaoac, 


Oil 


''  Buaidhri  of  the  bright  eye  loved It  is 

impossible  to  translate  tliis  quatrain  lite- 
rally into  EngHsh,  preserving  the  order 
of  the  Irish  words.  It  wotild  stand  thus 
in  Latin  : 

"  Atnat  Rodericus  oculi  acuti 
Ti}v  puellam  splendidam,  formosam ; 
Potenter  occurit  ejus  attention!  [arripuit  ani- 

mam], 
Causa  lachrymarum  ry  bono  domo." 
The  word  baile,  which  now  means  a 
village,  town,  and  townland,  is  frequently 
used  in  the  Irish  annals  to  denote  the  re- 
sidence of  a  chieftain,  a  castle,  or  military 
station,  as  in  the  following  example  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year 
1560  : — t)o  coio  ap  bctpp  an  baile,  ajup 
po  puaccnip  50  paibe  an  caiplen  ap  a 
cumup,  i.  e.  "  he  went  up  to  the  top  of  the 


baile,  and  proclaimed  that  the  castle  was 
in  his  power."  The  word  is  explained 
man,  a  place,  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol. 
164,  p.  i,  col.  4;  and  in  Cormac's  Glos- 
sary, the  word  par,  a  fort,  is  explained 
by  baile.  It  seems  to  be  derived  from 
the  same  source  as  the  Greek  5j-«a<5,  the 
Latin  villa,  and  the  French  ville. 

^  Of  the  fort  of  Conn.  —  Dun  Cuinn  is 
here  merely  a  poetical  name  for  the  resi- 
dence of  O'Dowd,  as  being  a  descendant 
of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles  ;  but  it 
leads  to  great  confusion,  as  one  might  be 
apt  to  believe  that  Dun  Cuinn  was  the 
real  name  of  O'Dowd's  residence.  The 
orthography  of  this  quatrain  is  modern- 
ised by  Duald  Mac  Fir  bis,  as  follows  : 
t)o  nl  0't)uboa  a  Dun  Cuinn 
Qinoeoin  injene  Oorhnuill; 


211 


Ruaidhri  of  the  bright  eye  loved'' 

The  splendid  comely  daughter ; 

Mightily  was  his  attention  engaged 

In  what  became  the  cause  of  tears  to  the  goodly  mansion. 
O'Dubhda  of  the  fort  of  Conn'  effected 

The  violation  of  the  daughter  of  Domhnall, 

^72^  as  by  force  he  entered  in 

The  report  of  the  deed  spread  widely. 
The  King  of  Rath  Branduibh'*  is  slain 

By  O'Cuinn  with  sharp  swords, 

As  this  lord  [O'Dubhda]  indeed  was  found 

Alone  in  the  gap  of  danger^ 
Early  on  the  morrow  went 

O'Cuinn  of  affectionate  hosts, 

His 


Ce  rjieun  6  cainij  ipceac, 
Rainij  an  fjeul  50  pjaoilceac. 
"  Effecit  O'Douda  de  arce  Conni 
Violationem  filiae  Donaldi ; 
Et  per  vim  quia  venerat  intra  \_domvm'], 
Ivit  »/  fama  diffuse." 
^  Bath  Branduibh,  now  Eafran,  a  town- 
land  containing  tlie  ruins  of  an  abbey  in 
the  parish  of  Killalla,  barony  of  Tirawley, 
and  county  of  Mayo.     It  was  one  of  the 
Bailte  puirt,  or  residences  of  the  chieftains 
of  Hy-Fiachrach,  and  therefore  properly 
enough   introduced   here   by   the    poet  ; 
though  it  is  to  be  feared  that  he  would 
have  introduced  Tara,   or  any  other  re- 
markable seat  of  any  of  O'Dowd's  ances- 
tors in  its  place,  if  his  measure  required  it. 

^  Gap  of  danger baejal-bedpna,  or 

beapna  bae  jail,  literally  means  "  gap  of 


danger  ;"  it  is  generally  used  in  the  Irish 
annals  to  denote  a  perilous  pass  where  the 
chief  usually  placed  guards  to  prevent  his 
enemies  from  making  irruptions  into  his 
territory  ;  but  it  is  sometimes  used  to  de- 
note danger  or  forlorn  hope.  The  Irish  to 
this  day  use  the  saying  ip  e  an  peap  aip 
a'  m-beapna  e,  i.  e.  he  is  the  man  on  the 
gap,  to  denote  a  man  of  undoubted  cou- 
rage, principle  and  integrity  ;  and  also  the 
saying  cd  pe  a  m-beapna  an  Baojail, 
i,  e.  "he  is  in  the  gap  of  danger,"  when 
they  see  a  man  in  danger  of  being  ruined 
in  his  property  or  character  by  his  enemy. 
For  a  beautiful  description  of  what  the 
Irish  and  Highlanders  of  Scotland  called 
a  "  gap  of  danger"  in  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Waver- 
ley  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  vol.  i.  c.  15. 


2E  2 


212 


t)il  cac  peDna  'n-a  peapaib, 
CO  yil  meapoa  rnuipeat)ai5  ; 

UoTYialuac  X\]6]\  na  rpeab  ce 

TTlac  Diapinaoa,  6  bpug  boinoe, 
pd  Tnae]i  t>o  coit)  in  cineab, 
t)o  paem  t)6ib  a  n-aint)li5eaD. 

a  rdic  6'n  16  pin  ale 

Clann  Cuan,  pip  upen  Uipi, 
can  luao  caipci  'n-a  cenaib 
ap  pluag  maicne  ITluipeaDai^. 


Cla 


nn 


f  Sil  Muireadhaigh. — This  was  the  tribe 
name  of  the  O'Conors  and  their  correla- 
tives, the  Mac  Dermotts,  and  other  fami- 
lies of  Connaught,  as  already  often  re- 
marked. 

8  Tomaltach  Mor According  to  the 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  this  Tomal- 
tach Mor  Mac  Diarmada,  or  Mac  Der- 
mott,  became  chief  of  Moylurg  in  the 
year  1 1 69,  and  his  death  is  recorded  in 
the  same  Annals  at  the  year  1206,  in 
the  following  words  : — "  Tomaltach,  son 
of  Conchobhar,  who  was  son  of  Diarmaid, 
who  was  son  of  Tadhg,  lord  of  Magh  luirg 
Airteach  and  Aicideachta,  only  prop  of 
the  Siol  Maolruana,  died."  From  this  it 
would  appear  that  Ruaidhri  Mear  O'Dowd 
flourished  at  a  later  period  than  that  as- 
signed to  him  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis  in  his 
short  annals  of  the  O'Dowd  family,  namely, 
between  the  years  1143  and  11 62.  There 
was  no  other  Tomaltach  Mac  Dermott, 
chief  of  Moylurg  about  this  period.     His 


predecessor  in  the  lordship  of  Moylurg 
was  Conchobhar,  who  retired  into  the 
monastery  of  Boyle  in  the  year  1 196,  and 
died  in  1198,  and  he  was  preceded  by 
Maurice,  son  of  Teige,  who  died  in  1187, 
who  was  preceded  by  Diarmaid,  son  of 
Tadhg,  who  died  in  the  year  1159,  who 
had  succeeded  his  brother  MaoHseachlainn 
(son  of  Tadhg),  who  was  slain  in  the  year 
1 124  ;  so  that  if  the  transfer  of  the  Clann 
Cuain  from  O'Dowd  to  Mac  Dermott  had 
really  taken  place  in  the  time  of  Tomal- 
tach Mor  Mac  Dermott,  Ruaidhri  Mear 
O'Dowd  the  cause  of  this  transfer,  would 
have  flourished  since  the  year  1 196,  when 
Tomaltach  Mor  succeeded.  But  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  this  is  an  anachronism 
of  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis  ;  for  it  ap- 
pears from  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters 
that  Mac  Dermott  had  possession  of  the 
territory  of  Clann  Cuain  nine  years  be- 
fore Tomaltach  Mor  became  chief  of  Magh 
Luirg,  namely,  in  the  year  11 87,  when 


213 

His  men  worthy  of  any  host, 

To  the  vigorous  Sil  Muireadhaigh*" ; 
To  Tomaltach  Mor^  of  fiery  tribes, 

Mac  Diarmada  of  Brugh  Boinne**, 

-4n(/ under  his  steward  the  tribe  [o/O'CwmTz]  submitted  ^/iem^e/ye^, 

He  [^Mac  Diarmada]  consenting  to  their  illegal  act*. 
From  that  day  down  to  this 

The  Clann  Cuain  and  mighty  Fir  Thire^ 

Are  without  mention  of  a  charter  for  their  tributes 

Among  the  host  of  the  Sil  Muireadhaigh^. 

But 


Maurice,  son  of  Tadhg  O'Mulrony,  was 
chief  of  Magh  Luirg,  and  had  actually- 
erected  a  mansion  for  himself  at  Claonloch, 
in  the  territory  of  Clann  Chuain. 

^  Brugh  Boinne This  is  the  reading  in 

both  copies.  Brugh  Boinne  was  the  an- 
cient name  of  a  Pagan  cemetery  on  the 
river  Boyne,  near  Stackallan,  in  the  county 
of  East  Meath  ;  but  it  looks  very  strange 
that  Tomaltach  Mor  Mac  Dermott,  chief 
of  Moylurg,  in  the  county  of  Roscommon, 
should  be  called  of  this  place,  as  neither 
he,  nor  any  of  his  ancestors,  had  ever  lived 
at  the  place.  The  poet  might  have  easily 
avoided  this  incongruity  by  writing  6  bpu 
6uille,  i.  e.  from  or  of  the  brink  of  the 
river  Boyle,  or  6  bpuj  6uille,  i.  e.  from 
the  fort  on  the  Boyle ;  and,  were  it  not 
that  we  have  the  authority  of  the  Book  of 
Lecan,  which  was  compiled  by  Giolla  losa 
Mor  himself,  for  bpu^  6oinDe,  we  would 
be  inclined  to  think  that  bpuj  6uiUe  was 
the  true  original  reading. 


'  He  consenting  to  their  illegal  act. — The 
poet  here  wishes  his  readers  to  believe 
that  the  Clann  Cuain  had  no  right  to 
segregate  themselves  from  the  chieftain 
who  was  of  their  blood,  whatever  his  con- 
duct towards  them  might  have  been ;  and, 
therefore,  that  it  was  unlawful  for  Mac 
Dermott  to  encourage  them  to  do  so. 

J  The  Clann  Cuain  and  mighty  Fir  Thire. 
— From  this  it  would  appear  that  the 
Clann  Cuain  and  Fir  Thire  were  two  dis- 
tinct tribes,  though  it  is  distinctly  stated 
in  the  prose  list  that  Fir  Thire  was  but 
an  alias  name  for  the  Clann  Cuain. 

^  The  Sil Muireadhaigh. — This,  as  already 
remarked,  was  the  tribe  name  of  the 
0' Conors  and  their  correlatives  in  Con- 
naught.  The  Mac  Dermotts  of  Moylurg  are 
in  reality  O'Conors,  being  descended  from 
Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Tadhg  an  Eich  Ghil 
(or  Teige  of  the  White  Steed),  O'Conor, 
king  of  Connaught,  who  was  slain  in  the 
year  1030.     "  Thadgeus  an  eich  ghil  (i.  e. 


214 


Clann  TTlael|iuanaiD  na  pua^  Tneari 
56  puaijiyeD  uppi  aiyiem, 
a  lenmain  ni  Ou  Do'n  D|ioin5, 
t)e5le5ai  a  cnu  |ie  cpobuinj. 

Uuciip  lim,  ip  luaD  pepa, 

Do  peip  na  cpaeb  coibnepa, 

6  ChloiiiD  TTlaeilpuanait),  can  jioinD, 

CO  cpaeib  luapaio,  maji  labpuim. 

Upmllam,  cupa  pen  popaio, 
o'n  rip  paippin^  eplamai^ 
CO  h-lppup,  'nap  li-oilea6  int), 
cimiup  na  n-aipep  n-aibinD. 

O'Caichmao,  nap  coi^ill  cp66, 
uppi  Ippaip  nap  h-aepao  ; 


copao 


ab  equo  albo  appellatus),  genuit  Hugonem 
an  gha  bhearnaigh  (i.  e.  ab  obtuso  jaculo 
nomen  sortitum),  et  Mulruanum,  a  quo 
Mac  Diarmodus  de  Muigliluirgia  originem 
traxit."  —  Dr.  John  Lynch  in  Translation 
of  Keating'' s  History  of  Ireland. 

•  The  Clann  Maoilruanaidh This  was 

the  particular  tribe  name  of  the  Mac  Der- 
niott  family,  which  they  derived  from 
Maolruanaidh,  who  was  the  son  of  Tadhg 
an  eich  ghil  0"Conor,  i.  e.  Teige  of  the 
White  Steed,  and  died  in  the  year  1077. 
From  his  grandson,  Diarmaid,  who  died 
in  1 165,  the  family  took  the  name  of  Mac 
Diarmada,  or  Mac  Dermott. 

"  /  have  now  brought  them  with  me 

Here  the  poet  throws  out  no  faint  suo-- 
gestion,  that  his  own  poem  might  induce 


the  Clann  Cuain  to  return  from  the  Clann 
Maoilruanaidh  back  to  their  original  chief- 
tain ;  but  it  is  more  than  probable  that  nei- 
ther Mac  Dermott  nor  O'Dowd  had  any 
controul  over  the  Clann  Cuain  in  141 7, 
when  this  poem  was  written.  It  appears 
from  the  annals,  however,  that  the  O'Dowd 
to  whom  it  was  addressed  had  made  great 
efforts  to  recover  the  possessions  of  his 
ancestors,  and  it  is  very  likely  that  this 
poem,  enumerating  all  the  districts  in  the 
principality  of  the  O'Dowds,  was  no  weak 
stimulus  to  rouse  him  to  exertion.  The 
descent  of  the  Clann  Cuain  is  given  already 
in  p.  17, 

°  Of  patron  saints.  —  Gplam  means  a 
patron  saint,  and  eplamac,  of  which  ep- 
lamaij  is  the  dative   or   ablative  form, 


215 


But  though  the  clann  Maoilruanaidh'  of  rapid  onsets 

Have  obtained  of  them  possession, 

To  chng  to  them  is  not  meet  for  this  people ; 

Its  nut  separates  from  the  parent  branch. 
I  have  now  brought  them  with  me"",  by  a  reporting  of  knowledge 

According  to  the  genealogical  relationship 

From  the  Clann  Maoilruanaidh,  without  division, 

To  the  native  stem,  as  I  speak. 
Let  us  pass,  may  our  journey  be  felicitous, 

From  the  wide  territory  of  patron  saints" 

To  Irrus°,  where  we  were  fostered, 

That  border  of  dehghtful  districts''. 
O'Caithniadh*^,  who  spared  not  cattle. 

Was  the  chief  of  Irrus,  who  was  not  satirized ; 


means,  abounding  in  patron  saints.  The 
patron  saints  of  Ceara  were  Patrick  of 
Ballintober,  Mochua  of  Balla,  Lughnat  of 
Lough  Mask,  Ciaran  of  Partry,  &c. 

°  Irrus,  now  the  barony  of  Erris,  form- 
ing the  north-west  portion  of  the  county 
of  Mayo. 

P  That  border  of  delightful  districts. — 
Written  by  Duald  Mac  Fir  bis,  cioriiap  na 
n-oipeap  n-aoibmn.  The  word  oipeap, 
of  which  na  n-oipeap  is  here  the  genitive 
case  plural,  is  translated  _^wes  by  Colgan 
in  his  translation  of  a  part  of  the  Albanic 
Duan,  or  poem  relating  to  the  Dalriadic 
kings  of  Scotland,  thus  : 

Oeic  mbliaDna  6oapn,  lejp-blao 
Q  b-plaiceap  oipip  Qlban. 
•  "  Decern  annis  Loarnus  (res  nota), 
Erat  in  principatu  ^^reiaw  Albanise. " 


The 

The  scenery  of  Erris  is  very  wild  and 
romantic,  but  the  land  is  at  present  so 
void  of  trees  that  it  looks  awfully  naked 
and  desolate  ;  it  is  evident,  however,  from 
the  trunks  and  roots  of  various  kinds  of 
trees  found  in  the  bogs,  and  even  on  the 
sea  shore,  in  several  places,  that  it  once 
contained  woods  of  considerable  extent. 
For  a  curious  account  of  the  amenities  of 
the  delightful  districts  of  Erris  in  our 
own  times,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Trot- 
ter's Walks  through  Ireland,  and  Knight's 
Connaught  Highlands. 

^  G'CoAthniadh This  family  is  either 

now  extinct  in  Erris,  or  the  name  has 
been  changed  into  O'Cathain,  or  O'Kane. 
The  following  notices  of  this  family  are 
preserved  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
ters : 


2l6 


copaD  an  cipi  'na  cuinD, 
molaD  t)o'n  line  labpuim. 

Ujii  cafpig  c(f  ci|i  f  1  h-payi, 
a  n-lppuj'  ay  up  popniam, 
yloig  ap  mipi  pd  meDaib, 
pine  ap  coip  do  cpeioemam. 

O'Ceallacan,  ceann  an  c-ploig, 
O'niuiTnnecan  in  niiD-oil, 
TTle  Coinin  mn  ap  cenn  nd  cuip, 
po  mm  an  Dpem  pe  odmaib. 

h-1  ChoinminD,  coip  a  cuma, 

Trriei^  phinodm  'pet  n-dpD  pulla, 
TTlec  Conboipni,  luait)  ^ap  lep, 
poipni  t)o  chiiaio  6  coimeap. 


h-1 


"  A.  D.  1 1 80.  Aodh  O'Caithniadh,  lord 
of  lorrus,  was  treacherously  slain  by 
O'CeaUachain  at  Cill  Chomain  [now  Kil- 
common]. 

"A.  D,  1206.  Caitliniadli  O'Caithniadh, 
lord  of  lorrus,  died. 

"A.  D.  1274.  Feargal  0' Caitliniadli, 
lord  of  lorrus,  died  in  Hy-Mac  Caechain 
[now  Dumha  Caechain,  near  Invermore 
bay,  in  the  north  of  Erris]." 

This  is  the  last  notice  of  the  family  of 
O'Caithniadh  to  be  found  in  the  Annals  of 
the  Four  Masters,  and  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable that  their  power  was  crippled  about 
this  period  by  Domhnall  lorruis  0' Conor 
(the  son  of  Maghnus,  who  was  son  of 
Muircheartach  Muimhneach),  and  that 
they  were  soon  after  totally  put  down  by  the 


Barretts,  who  built  several  castles  in  this 
territory.  The  Editor  made  every  search 
for  the  name  O'Caithniadh  in  Erris,  in 
the  summer  of  1838,  but  could  not  find  a 
single  individual  of  the  name  in  the  barony, 
though  the  old  natives  have  a  tradition 
that  such  a  family  once  existed.  For  the 
descent  of  O'Caithniadh  see  page  5,  supra. 
Caithniadh,  the  name  of  the  progenitor  of 
this  family,  is  derived  from  catk,  a  battle, 
and  niadh,  a  hero. 

*■  The  produce  of  the  country  is  in  floods. — 
Erris  is  now  any  thing  but  a  fertile  dis- 
trict, and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  it 
was  less  fertile  in  141 7. 

*  Excited  hy  metheglin.  —  TTliD,  mead,  or 
metheglin,  is  very  frequently  alluded  to 
in  the  Old  Irish  poems  and  romantic  tales 


217 

The  produce  of  the  country  is  in  floods  ; 
Praise  to  the  tribe  I  speak. 

There  are  three  sub-chiefs  in  this  western  country, 
In  Irrus  of  splendid  aspect, 
A  host  the  most  excited  by  raetheglin', 
A  tribe  who  merited  to  be  believed. 

O'Ceallachain^  head  of  the  host, 

O'Muimhneachain",  who  drinks  the  mead, 
Mac  Coinin^',  remind  us  not  of  him"', 
Very  kind  are  those  people  to  the  learned. 

The  O'Coinminns''  of  right  condition, 

The  Mag  Fhionnainns^  in  the  high  roll, 
The  Mac  Conboirnes^  of  prosperous  name. 
Tribes  who  have  gone  beyond  comparison. 


as  an  intoxicating  drink  used  by  the  an- 
cient Irish  at  their  feasts. 

'  G'Ceallachain,  now  Callaghan.  —  See 
p.  5  for  the  descent  of  this  family ;  see 
also  Note  '^^  p.  216,  where  one  of  this  fa- 
mily is  mentioned  as  having  slain  O'Caith- 
niadh,  lord  of  lorrus. 

"   G" Muimhneachainy  now  Minahan,  a 


The 

It  is 


given  in  pages  5,  6  of  this  volume 
now  obsolete. 

y  Mag  Fhionnains This  name  is  now 

pronounced  in  Irish  as  if  written  Ma  Gi- 

onnain,  and  anglicised  Gannon See  p.  6 

for  the  descent  of  this  family. 

2  Mac  Conhoirnes This  family  is  called 

O'Conboirne  in  the  prose  list  prefixed  to 


name  stUl  common  in  Erris,  and  rising     this  poem,   and  also  in  the  genealogical 


into  respectability.  For  the  descent  of 
this  family  see  p.  5. 

'  Mac  Coinin. — For  the  descent  of  this 
family  see  p.  5,  supra. 

""  Remind  us  not  of  him,  i.  e.  it  is  unne- 
cessary to  remind  us  of  him,  as  we  can 
never  forget  his  generosity. 

^  O'Coinnm.inns. — This  name  does  not 
occur  in  the  prose  list,  nor  in  the  pedi- 
grees of  the  Cinel  Feidhlimidh,   already 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2 


account  of  the  Cinel  Fedhlimidh  of  lorrus 
given  in  j)ages  5,  6  of  this  volume  ;  but 
Mac  Conboirne  is  the  form  stUl  retained 
among  the  people,  and  is  very  probably 
the  true  one.  This  name  is  now  always 
anglicised  Burns,  which  is  a  very  great 
corruption,  and  not  to  be  recommended; 
the  true  form,  Mac  Conborney,  would 
sound  well  enough  in  an  English  ear. 


F 


2l8 

M  '^€\\aX)ain  na  n-^peaD  |iei6, 
pet)an  ay  cpoDa  cairhpeini, 
t)o'n  ^appaio  ay  mop  metjaip, 
cabpam  ploig  pa  paep  pleDaib. 

TTlap  pin  ap  leip  'n  dp  leabap 
plua^  Ippaip  can  eleaDa^, 
ap  coip  dipim  na  h-aicnm, 
ploi^ndp  cdineaD  clannmaicni. 

pd^am  Ippap  an  pumD  glain, 
upiallam  ^up  an  ufp  Duchai^, 
Oemim  co  puain  ap  pibal, 
pe^am  uam  cac  oUaman. 

TTlap  a  Oeip  leabaip  loma, 
poiUpeocaD  na  peapanna, 
6  Dun  phfne  co  TTluam  nioill, 
mp  cpuait)  an  line  labpoim. 

Ceo  Ducup  a  oeapap  ano, 
6  Dun  phine  na  n-aball, 
O'Duiblep^a  ^an  ^pdo  n-^oill, 
ceapDa  'p«^  d6  Oo  pogloim. 


O'CuinD, 


'  O'Gearadhains,  now  Gearan.   For  the  ^  Bare   books. CeaBaip   loma.     The 

descent  of  this  family  see  p.  6.  idea   here   intended   to   be  conveyed  by 

''  Of  the  fine  soil.  —  Extensive  heathy  loma,   the  plural  form   of  the  adjective 

and  boggy  mountains,  snow-white  plains  lom,  bare,  is  not  very  obvious ;  perhaps 

of  sand,  with  here  and  there  a  fertile  spot,  the  poet  may  have  intended  to  distinguish 

unsheltered  against  the  blasts  from  the  the  genuine  records,  containing  the  simple 

Atlantic,  constitute  the  fine  soil  of  Erris  naked  truth  only,  from  those  embellished 

at  present.  with  romance  and  fiction. 

•=  The  native  territory,  i.  e.  Tirawley,  in  ^  j)^^  pi^^^    ^^^  Dunfeeny,    in    the 

Avhich  the  ancient  patrimonial  inheritance  north-west  of  the  barony  of  Tirawley 

of  the  Mac  Firbises  was  situated.  Vide  sujyra,  p.  6,  Note  ^. 


219 

The  O'Geradliainsa  of  sleek  horses, 

A  tribe  of  valorous  career, 

A  race  of  great  hilarity, 

Whose  hosts  are  firm  under  their  noble  spears. 
Thus  is  obvious  in  our  book  set  down 

The  host  of  Irrus  without  exception. 

It  is  meet  to  enumerate  this  people, 

A  host  whose  sons  have  not  been  dispraised. 
Let  us  leave  Irrus  of  the  fine  soil". 

Let  us  pass  to  the  native  territory*". 

Let  us  quietly  pursue  our  journey. 

Let  us  observe  the  opportunity  of  each  oUamh. 
As  bare  books'*  relate, 

I  shall  point  out  the  lands 

From  Dun  Fine^  to  the  sluggish  Muaidh'^ ; 

The  race  of  whom  I  speak  were  not  penurious. 
The  first  inheritor  who  shall  be  mentioned  here, 

At  Dun  Fine  of  apple  trees. 

Is  O'Duibhlearga^,  who  loves  not  the  Galls'", 

An  artifex  in  learning  prowess*"*'. 

O'Cuinn 

f  The  sluggish  Muaidh,  i.  e.  the  sluggish  p.  7  of  this  voltime. 
river  Moy. —  Vide  supra,  pp.  2,  3,  for  the  ^  Who  loves  not  the  Galls.  —  The  Galls 
situation  of  this  river.  The  epithet  shig-  (or  foreigners)  here  alluded  to  were  the 
gish  is  applicable  to  it  in  its  passage  English  settlers  in  Tirawley,  as  the  Bar- 
through  the  plains,  but  not  in  the  moun-  retts,  Lynotts,  Burks,  &c. ;  and  O'Duibh- 
tains.  It  is  the  outlet  of  the  waters  of  learga's  want  of  love  for  them  doubtlessly 
the  great  Lough  Conn,  and  of  all  the  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  bring 
streams  from  Slieve  Carna  and  Castlebar  about  the  extinction  of  his  own  family, 
lakes  northwards  to  near  Killala.  ^^^  An  artifex  in  learning  prowess,  i.  e.  an 

s  G' Duibhlearga. — This  name  is  now  ob-  adept  in  learning  military  exercises  and 

solete.     For  the  descent  of  the  family  see  the  use  of  arms. 

2  F2 


220 


O'CuiTit),  pa  calnia  a  cineat), 
t)o'n  aicmi  nap  h-^fl^■^eaX), 
aguf  O'CoTYi^an  can  coll, 
i|'  nrieg  Oopan  pa'n  peapann. 

O'Ouanmumi  pa  tn'^aino  pach, 
a^up  O'bli^i  bdoach, 
O'bepga  o'ctp  claen  na  cuill, 
pep^a  na  naem  t)o  nerh  chuill. 

0'Pat)ubdn,  pdt>  can  locc, 

6  baili  an  5^^i^"«'  ^  ^lan-popu, 
an  bpii^ait)  nac  bpe^ac  blao, 
cupaio  ceoac  ap  copnam. 
O  m-baili  pem,  ap  pip  pin, 

TTieic  Conleicpech  an  laecpaiD, 


t^peni 


'  OfCuinn,  now  always  anglicised  Quin, 
without  the  O'.  For  the  descent  of  this 
family,  which  is  different  from  that  of 
O'Quin  of  Clann  Cuain,  in  Ceara,  vide 
supra^  p.  7. 

J  O'Gomhgan^  called  O'Comhdhan,  in  the 
genealogical  account  of  Cinel  Aongusa, 
given  in  page  7  of  this  volume,  and  also 
in  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem. 
The  name  would  be  anglicised  Cowgan, 
but  the  Editor  could  not  find  the  name  in 
Tirawley  in  1838. 

^  Mag  Odhram For  his  descent  see 

p.  7.  This  name  would  be  anglicised 
Magoran,  but  it  is  not  to  be  found  under 
any  recognizable  form  in  Tirawley  at  pre- 
sent. Magauran,  or  Magowran  of  Tully- 
haw,  in  the  county  of  Cavan,  is  of  a  dif- 


ferent race,  and  called  in  native  language 
Mag  Shamhradhain. 

'  G' Duanmuidhe For  his  descent  see 

p.  7.     The  name  is  now  obsolete. 

*'  *"  OPBUghe For  his  descent  see  p.  7. 

This  name  is  not  to  be  found  in  Tirawley 
at  present.  The  Editor  met  persons  of 
the  name  Blighe  in  Ulster,  but  they  do 
not  look  upon  themselves  to  be  of  Irish 
descent. 

"  OPBerga.—  For  his  descent  see  p.  7  of 
this  volume.     This  name  is  also  obsolete. 

°  For  whom  the  hazles  stoop,  i.  e.  stoop 
under  the  weight  of  their  nuts. 

P  0'' Radiihhain.  —  This  name,  Avhich 
would  be  analogically  anglicised  Radavan, 
is  now  obsolete. 

'^  Baile  an  ghleanna,  i.  e.  the  town,  or 


221 

O'Cuinn'  of  the  brave  tribe, 

One  of  tlie  people  who  have  not  been  lowered, 
And  O'Comhgan^  without  a  stain, 
And  Mag  Odhrain''  is  on  that  land. 

O'Duanmuidhe^  of  happy  success, 
And  O'Bhghe"'  the  warhke, 
O'Berga"  for  whom  the  hazles  stoop°. 
Who  deserved  not  the  anger  of  the  saints. 

O'Radubhain^, — an  assertion  without  fault, — 
Of  Baile  an  ghleanna'',  his  fine  seat"", 
A  brughaidh'  of  no  false  fame, 
A  hundred-attended  hero  in  defending. 

Of  their  own  town\  it  is  true. 

Are  the  Mac  Conleitrechs,  the  heroes, 


townland  of  the  glen  or  valley. — See  p.  7, 
supra,  where  it  will  be  seen  that  the  real 
name  of  the  glen  in  which  O'Radnbhain 
resided,  was  Gleann  an  chairn.  The  name 
is  now  anglicised  Ballinglen,  and  is  that 
of  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Dunfeeny, 
in  Tirawley,  near  the  little  town  of  Bally- 
castle. 

•■  His  fine  seat. — Q  jlan-popc.  Port 
means  a  fort  or  fortified  residence,  and  is 
evidently  cognate  with  the  English  Avord 
fort.  It  is  used  throughout  the  latter  part 
of  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  to  de- 
note fort,  or  fortress,  as  Port  Laoighise, 
the  Irish  name  of  the  town  of  Marybo- 
rough, in  the  Queen's  County ;  Port  Mor,  a 
large  fort  erected  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth 
between  Lough  Key  and  Lough  Arrow,  in 
Connaught  ;   Port  ]Mor,  a  fort  erected  by 


the  English  on  the  Blackwater,  in  O'Neill's 
country. — See  also  the  same  annals  at  the 
year  1595,  where  O'Farrell's  chief  castle, 
in  the  now  county  of  Longford,  is  called 
Port  Aireachais  Ui  Fhearghail,  and  at  the 
year  1600,  where  the  forts  erected,  do 
cpinpiDib  caiman,  i.e.  of  earthen  trenches, 
at  Dunnalong,  Culmore,  and  Derry,  in  Ul- 
ster, are  called  cpi  puipc,  i.  e.  threa ports 
or  forts. 

=  A  Briighaidh,  i.  e.  a  farmer. 

^  Of  their  own  town,  i.  e.  of  Baile  Mec 
Conleitreach,  which  is  the  name  given  in 
the  prose  list,  and  which  was  called  after 
the  family  themselves.  The  place  is  so 
called  to  this  day  in  Irish,  and  correctly 
anglicised  Ballykinlettragh,  which  is  a 
townland  in  the  north  of  the  parish  of 
Kilfian,  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  not  far 


222 


bjiem  can  t)m6b]iip  um  cent)  c|iui6, 
ap  ]pai6bpip  ceall  mp  cliiiTn^aiD. 

O  Cill  QpDub,  Oiaoa  an  t)pon5, 
li-l  Charaf  ai5  na  coTYilanD, 
05  Dul  uap  ^ac  paen  poime, 
'pet  cup  cdeiTi  O'Con^oile. 

Uaipijecc  ap  Ducham  Doib, 

maicni  menninac  an  mop  ploi^, 
li-l  rniiipeaoaij,  maepDa  a  mail, 
puineat)ai5  laemDa  an  La^din. 

ITIeig  piimndin  ndp  eiuig  pep, 
t)'lb  niuipeatDaig  na  meipget), 
t)o'n  maicni  t)o  chmD  ap  cac, 
t)o'n  aicmi  pint)  can  anpach. 
na  pip  aj  pat)at)  pa  cloinn, 
ag  pin  an  Ca^dn  labpuim. 


from  Ballinglen,  mentioned  in  Note  ^. 
But  thougli  the  land  lias  retained  the 
name,  the  family  have  either  changed  their 
name  or  have  become  extinct.  For  the 
descent  of  this  family  see  p,  7,  supra. 

"  Cill  Ardubk,  is  so  called  at  this  day 
in  Irish,  and  anglicised  Killarduff.  It  is 
the  name  of  an  ancient  church  and  town- 
land  in  the  parish  of  Dunfeeny. — See 
page  8,  Note  ". 

^  O'Cathasaighs,  now  anglicised  O'Ca- 
seys.  For  their  descent  see  p.  9  of  this 
volume. 

w  O'Conghaile,  now  anglicised  Connolly 
and  Conneely — See  p.  9  for  the  descent 
of  this  family. 

^  OPMuireadhaighs,  now  Murrays.    For 


o 

their  descent  see  page  7.  They  are  of  a 
different  tribe  from  the  O'Muireadhaighs 
of  Ceara.  This  family  were  dispossessed 
by  the  Barretts,  or  Lynotts,  about  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  In  the 
year  1267,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  Aodli,  or  Hugh  O'Murray, 
was  chief  of  the  Lagan,  and  was  slain  at 
Killala  by  O'Maolfoghmhair,  comharba  of 
the  church  ;  and  in  1268  the  O'Murrays 
slew  Aongus  O'Maolfoghmhair  in  revenge 
for  the  death  of  their  chief.  After  this  pe- 
riod the  O'Murrays  of  the  Lagan  disappear 
from  history,  and  were  doubtlessly  dis- 
possessed soon  after. 

y  The  Lagan. — The  name  of  this  terri- 
tory is  written  across  sheet  3  of  Balds' 


223 


A  people  without  poverty  as  to  cattle, 

Who  have  not  circumscribed  the  weal  of  the  churches. 
Of  Cill  Ardubh", — godly  the  tribe, — 

Are  the  O'Cathasaighs""  of  conflicts, 

Going  beyond  every  road  before  them, 

And  the  fair  champion  O'Conghaile"'. 
But  the  chieftainship  is  due  to  those 

High-minded  tribes  of  great  hosts, 

The  O'Muireadhaighs''  of  comely  chiefs,  ; 

The  majestic  pillars  of  the  Lagan^. 
The  Mag  Fhinnains^,  who  refused  not  a  man. 

Is  the  Hy-Muireadhaigh  of  banners, 

Of  the  tribe  who  excelled  all,   . 

Of  the  fair  sept  without  irrationality, 

Men  who  are  kindling  valour  in  their  sons : 

Such  is  the  Lagan^  I  say. 


From 


Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo,  in  such  a  po- 
sition that  one  would  infer  that  he  consi- 
dered it  to  be  co-extensive  with  the  parish 
of  Kilbride,  in  the  north  of  the  barony 
of  Tirawley  ;  but  nothing  is  more  certain 
than  that  the  Lagan  comprises  the  parish 
of  Dunfeeny  also.  The  name  Lagan  sig- 
nifies a  hollow,  or  hollow  district  between 
hills  or  mountains,  and,  according  to  the 
most  intelligent  of  the  natives,  the  district 
naturally  so  called  is  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  hills  of  Kilbride,  on  the  south  by 
Athleague  hill,  in  the  parish  of  Lackan, 
and  thence  by  a  range  of  hills  as  far  as 
Ballinglen,  and  from  Ballinglen  it  is  bound- 
ed by  the  mountains  of  Dunfeeny,  as  far 


as  the  sea,  which  bounds  it  on  the  north. 
But  it  will  appear  from  this  poem  that  the 
territory  of  O'Muireadhaigh  called  the 
Lagan  originally  extended  eastwards  to 
the  strand  of  Lacken,  where  it  met  the 
territory  of  Caeille  Conaill. 

*  Mag  Fhinnain. — This  family  is  called 
O'Fionnagain  in  the  genealogy  of  the  Cinel 
Aongusa,  given  in  page  7  of  this  volume, 
and  in  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem, 
in  both  which  this  family  is  called  of 
Fionnchalamh,  which  was  the  ancient 
name  of  a  district  adjoining  the  territory 
of  Hy-Eathach  Muaidhe  on  the  north- 
west. 

^  Such  is  the  Lagan It  is  quite  clear 


224 


O  Raich  bpanDuib  ap  bint)  clui^, 
CO  ^pai5  cell,  conaip  ria^maiD, 
epic  an  Cliaflli  ncip  bdm  blao, 
nfp  caime  cldp  na  Cpuacan. 

Conall,  mac  peap^upa  pint), 

uaoa  Clann  Conaill  ceoil-binD, 
ip  1  a  clann  epic  an  Chaflli, 
ni  pjiich  am  t)'d  n-e^aine. 

O'h-QeDa  nap  ep  ollam, 

Dpem  ap  bii^a  buan  bponnab, 
6  Qpo  0'n-Qet)a  na  n-ec, 
na  cpaeba  pa  h-dpt)  eineac. 

InaD  cafpig  ap  rf]i  chuait) 

puaip  O'h-QeDa  an  aipm  inDpuaip, 
ap  lap  an  Chaflli  t)'d  cloinD, 
cldp  ap  cafme  o'd  canoim. 


1 


from  the  whole  context  that  the  poet  has 
been  here  treating  of  the  tribes  and  subdi- 
A'isions  of  the  Lagan  since  he  left  Irrus  up 
to  this  line.  After  this  he  goes  into  Caeille 
Conaill,  the  next  territory  to  the  south, 
which  was  separated  from  the  Lagan  by 
the  strand  of  Traigh  Ceall,  now  generally 
called  Lacken  strand. 

''  Rath  Branduibh,  i.  e.  the  rath  or 
earthen  fort  of  Brandubh,  a  man's  name 
formerly  common  in  Ireland.  The  name 
is  now  anglicised  Eafran,  and  the  place, 
which  is  situated  near  Palmerstown,  in 
the  parish  of  Killala,  is  well  known  for  its 
abbey.  According  to  a  notice  in  the  ge- 
nealogy of  the  Hy  Airmeadhaigh,  already 


given  in  page  9,  the  southern  limit  of  this 
territory  of  Caeille  Conaill,  was  called 
Fearsad  Treisi,  for  the  situation  of  which 
see  page  9,  Note  '.  It  is  there  stated  that 
Fearsad  Treisi  is  now,  and  has  been  for 
centuries,  called  Fearsad  Rath  Bhrain,  but 
as  no  authority  is  there  quoted,  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  add  here  that  it  is  distinctly 
stated  in  the  Dinnsennchiis,  as  given  in 
the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  247,  «,  a,  that 
Fearsad  Treisi  was  called  Fearsad  Eatha 
Branduibh  in  the  time  of  the  writer. 
"  Fearsad  Treisi  whence  derived  ?  Not 
difficult :  Treisi,  daughter  of  Nadfraech, 
and  wife  of  Amhalgaidh,  son  of  Fiachra, 
son  of  Eochaidh,  was  drowned  in  it  ;  so 


225 

From  Rath  Branduibh"  of  the  sweet  bells'" 

To  Traigh  Ceall**,  a  road  which  we  pass, 

Stretches  the  country  of  Caeilli  of  no  extinguished  fame, 

Not  fairer  was  the  plain  of  Cruachan^. 
From  Conall,  son  of  Fergus,  the  fair, 

Sprung  the  musical  Clann  ConailF; 

His  race  are  in  the  territory  of  Caeille ; 

No  time  is  found  complaining  of  them. 
O'h-Aodha^,  who  never  rejected  a  man  of  learning, 

A  people  of  constant  liberal  bestowing, 

Of  Ard  Cn-Aodha*"  of  steeds. 

Branches  of  high  hospitality. 
The  place  of  a  chieftain  in  the  northern  district 

O'h-Aodha  of  the  cold-weapon  has  obtained ; 

His  children  are  in  the  centre  of  Caeilh, 

The  fairest  plain  of  those  I  mention. 

The 

that  it  was  called  from  her  ;  but  it  is  mon,  one  of  the  most  fertile  districts  in  all 

called  Fearsad  Ratlia  Branduibh  at  this  Ireland, 

day."  f  Clann  Conaill. —  Vide  supra,  p.  9. 

•=  Of  sweet  bells This  shows  that  the  ^  O'h-Aodha.  —  This  name  is  generally 

abbey  of  Eafran  was  in  existence  in  the  anglicised  Hughes  in  the  county  of  Mayo, 

time  of  the  writer.  ^  Ard  GPn-Aodha,  would  be  anglicised 

^  Traigh  Ceall. — This  name  is  retained  Ardonea,   but  the  name  does  not  exist, 

to  the  present  day,  and  is  situated  at  the  The   place  was   evidently   situated   near 

village  of  Rathlacken,  near  Killala Vide  Mullaghnacross,  in  the  parish  of  Temple- 

supra,   pp.   8,  9,  Note  '^,   and   Ordnance  murray,  which  is  about  the  centre  of  this 

Map  of  Mayo,   sheets  7,  8,  14,  15.     This  beautiful  territory,  anciently  called  Caeille. 

place  was  anciently  called   Traigh  Mur-  — See  Ordnance  Map,   sheet   15.     That 

bhaigh,  i.  e.  the  strand  of  the  murbhach,  part  of  the  parish  of  Kilcummin  lying 

or  sea-plain See  p.  8,  Note  ^.  south  and  east  of  the  strand  of  Lacken 

^  The  plain  of  Cruachan,  now  the  plains  belonged  to  this  district;  and  St.  Cummin, 

of  Rathcroghan,  in  the  county  of  Roscom-  the  patron  of  that  church,  was  of  this  race. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.    12.                                    2  G 


226 


1  rnailcoYiai]ie  can  chol, 

h-1  pianDabpa  can  leonaD, 

h-l  She^Da  pa  cenD  copao, 

t)]ieam  can  ejia  ollannan. 
Da  luaiDip,  ap  luaD  pepa, 

Clann  Conaill  'pet  coibnepa, 

map  nac  ndp  t)'on  pem  uili, 

o'd  pdt)  'pet  peim  pfjpaiDi. 
h-1  6acac  TTluame  na  nria^ 

6  l?op  Seipc  na  ppeb  pulcap, 

CO  peappaiD  Upepi  pd  ruaiD, 

peappaD  ap  upepi  cpom-pluai^. 
1  Tllailaoniaip,  puaip  pleDa, 

h-1  Cendn,  lafc  Idn-mepa, 

nf  cpant)a  aenai^i  an  puinD, 

clanDa  Cae^aipi  labpuim. 
D'lb  TTlailpoDnriaip  ndp  cpdiD  cluig, 

na  pecc  n-6ppuic  puipc  pdopaig, 

ocup 

aidh  Breac,  son  of  King  Dathi.  The  poet 
is  proceeding  southwards  with  his  descrip- 
tion. He  first  describes  the  Lagan,  the 
most  northern  district  of  Tirawley ;  he 
next  crosses  the  strand  of  Traigh  Ceall,  at 
Lacken,  to  go  into  the  territory  of  Caeille, 
and  now  he  crosses  the  bay  of  Eafran,  to 
go  into  the  territory  of  the  Hy-Eathach 
of  the  Moy,  extending  from  Fearsad  Treisi, 
at  Eafran,   southwards  to  Eos  Seirce,  in 

the  parish  of  Ballysokeery See  p.  5 1  for 

a  curious  notice  of  the  extent  of  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  Hy-Eathach  Muaidhe. 

™  Bos  Seirce — See  p.  51,  Note  J,  suj»-d. 


'  O^Mailckonairi,  properly  anglicised 
O'Mulconry,  but  now  generally  rendered 
Conry  and  Connery. 

J  G' Flannahhra,  now  Flannery,  but  the 
name,  though  common  in  other  parts  of 
Ireland,  is  not  in  the  district  of  Caeille  at 
present. 

^  G'Seghdhas This  name  is  now  an- 
glicised O'Shea,  but  the  respectable  fami- 
lies bearing  that  name  are  not  of  this  race. 
For  the  descent  of  this  race  see  page  9, 
where  the  name  is  spelled  O'Tegha. 

'  Hy-Eathach  Muaidhe,  i.  e.  Nepotes 
Eochodii  de  Moda,  descended  from  Eoch- 


227 

The  O'Mailchonaires'  without  a  blot, 

The  O'Flannabhras^  without  oppression, 

The  O'Seghdhas''  of  rich  produce, 

Heroes  who  reject  not  men  of  learning. 
I  have  mentioned,  it  is  a  reporting  of  knowledge. 

The  Clann  Conaill  and  their  correlatives, 

As  it  is  no  shame  to  all  the  heroes 

To  have  them  set  down  in  the  regal  list. 
Hy-Eathach  Muaidhe'  of  the  plains 

Extends  from  Ros  Seirce""  of  the  bright  streams 

To  Fearsad  Treisi,  north, 

A  pass  of  most  powerful  hosts. 
The  O'Mailfaghmhairs"  who  prepared  the  banquets. 

The  0'Leanains°,  full  vigorous  heroes, 

Not  decrepid  are  the  hosts  of  the  soil ; 

Of  the  descendants  of  Laeghaire''  I  speak. 
Of  the  O'Mailfoghmhairs,  who  violated  not  bells'^, 

Were  the  seven  bishops  of  Patrick's  city"". 

And 


:i. 


n  O'Mailfaghmhairs,  now  anglicised  Mil-  the  Clann  Laeghaire  vide  supra,  p.  5  ] 

ford.     For  their  descent  see  p.  50.     The  *i  Who  violated  not  bells,  because  they 

heads  of  this  family  were  the  herenachs  or  were  a  hereditary  ecclesiastical  family, 

hereditary  wardens  of  the  church  of  Kil-  r  Patrick's  city,  i.  e.  the  ecclesiastical 

lala,  and  they  supplied  several  bishops  to  city  of  Killala,  said  to  have  been  founded 

that  see.    For  some  curious  notices  of  this  between  the  years  434  and  441,  by  St. 

family,  and  of  the  church  of  KHlala,  the  Patrick,   who,    during   that  period,    was 

reader  is  referred  to  the  Annals  of  the  preaching  the  gospel  and  founding  churches 

Four  Masters  at  the  years   1235,  1253,  in  the  province  of  Connaught.  It  is  stated 

1257,    1260,    1267,    1275,    1280,    1306,  that  St.  Patrick  placed  one  of  his  disciples 

1328,  1343,  1350,  1416,  1442.  as  bishop  over  the  church  of  Killala,  where 

°  O'Leanains This  name  is  now  an-  his  festival  was  celebrated  on  the  12th  of 

glicised  Lennon,  and  by  some  Leonard.  August ;  but  it  would  appear  from  the 

P  Clann  Laeghaire.— Eot  the  descent  of  pedigree  of  Muireadhach  that  he  could  not 

2G2 


228 

ociip  peer  ro^a  co  cenD 

Yet  copa  ag  cecr  na  nniceall. 
h-1  CpiaiDcein  pa  mairh  mana, 

h-1  piaicili  laempcapa, 

h-^  TTlocan  ndp  rpeig  pib  upeall, 

pa  clocdn  t)'  ei^pib  Gpeann. 
h-1  maeilair^ein  na  n-^puao  n-gel, 

h-1  maeilbpenamn  na  m-boipb-plej, 

Dpeam  pe  h-ogaib  banba  a^  bctio, 

h-1  bpooaib  calma  h-1  Cpecdin. 
Ct^  pm  h-1  Gacac  na  n-each, 

an  Dpem  ndp  can  acr  cepc-bpeach, 

menma  mop  'can  maicni  pint), 

an  plog  ap  aipci  dipmiTm. 
Upiallam  annp  a'  m-bpeDaij  m-buij, 

Do  clecu  cara  ip  cpuap  compai^, 

na  cpomn  6  b-pa^bam  peapa 

50  cloinn  apm-Duinn  pheap^apa. 
O'  Uo^oa  ap  cenDpopc  Do'n  car, 

caipec  na  bpeoca  ap  buaoac, 

a 

have  lived  in  St.  Patrick's  time,  for  lie  record  of  tlie  succession  of  the  Bishops  of 

was  the  son  of  Eochaidh,  who  was  the  son  Killala,  which  is  either  lost,  or  not  yet 

of  Oilioll,  son  of  Guaire,  son  of  Lughaidli,  accessible    to    any   of  our    ecclesiastical 

monarch  of  Ireland,  who  died  in  the  year  writers. 

508,  who  was  the  son  of  Laoghaire,  who         ^  O'Criaidhcheins. — See  p.  51,  Note  s. 
was  monarch  of  Ireland  for  thirty  years  ^  O'Flaitilies — See  p.  51,  Note  '. 

after  the  arrival  of  St.  Patrick See  Book  "  0''Mochains,   now  Mohans.  —  See  pp. 

of  Lecan  fol.  306,  a.    Of  the  successors  of  41,  42,  43. 

Muireadhach,   in  the  see  of  Killala,  but  '  The  causeway This  looks  an  extra- 
very  little  is  recorded  in  the  Irish  annals,  ordinary  figure,  but  it  is  quite  intelligible 
and  the  incidental  mention  of  these  seven  to  an  Irish  speaker, 
bishops  here  shows  that  there  was  once  a          ^   ff Mailaithghins,    now   unknown,    at 


229 

And  seven  who  were  strongly  elected 

In  the  choir  (chapter)  who  came  around  them. 

The  O'Criaidhcheins'  of  goodly  plight, 
The  lofty-proud  OTlaitilies', 

The  O'Mochains"  who  have  not  forsaken  you,  once. 
Who  were  the  causeway""  of  the  learned  of  Erin. 

The  O'Mailaithghins''  of  bright  cheeks. 

The  O'Mailbhrenainns''  of  terrific  spears. 

Heroes  who  contended  with  the  youths  of  Banba^, 

The  brave  O'Broduibhs^,  and  the  O'Creachains^. 

These  are  the  Hy-Eachach  of  the  steeds, 

A  people  who  have  spoken  only  a  just  sentence. 

This  fair  tribe  have  a  lofty  mind, 

They  are  the  most  expert  host  I  mention. 

Let  us  pass  into  the  soft  Bredach'', 

Which  is  accustomed  to  battles  and  hardness  of  conflict, 
To  the  scions  from  whom  we  shall  receive  information. 
The  Clann  Fergus*"  of  brown  weapons. 

O'Toghdha''  is  head  of  the  battle, 

Victorious  chief  of  Bredach, 

To 

least  to  the  Editor See  the  descent  of  Graham — See  p.  35,  supra. 

this  family  in  p.  35,  supra.  ^  Bredach. — This  territory,  which  con- 

*  O'MaUbhrenainns. — This  family  have  tained  fifteen  ballys,  or  sixty  quarters  of 

anglicised  their  name  to  Mulrenin.  land,  comprised  the  parish  of  Moygawnagh, 

y  YoutJis  ofBanba,  i.  e.  of  Ireland.  in  the  west  of  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  and 

"^  O^Broduibh. — This  name  would  be  an-  a  part  of  that  of  Kilfian. 
glicised  Brodiff,  but  it  does  not  exist  in         ""  Clann  Fergus.  —  For  the  descent  of 

the  district — See  p.  35.  this  sept  see  pp.  9,  1 1. 

^  O'Creachains.  —  The  name  of  this  fa-         ^  O'Toghdha.  —  The  only  notice  of  this 

mily  is  variously  anglicised  Crean,  Greagh-  family  preserved  in  the   Annals    of  the 

an,  Grehan,  and  the  Editor  knows  an  in-  Four  Masters  is  at  the  year  1 206,  under 

dividual  of  the  name  who  has  rendered  it  which  the  death  of  Ruaidhri  O'Toghdha, 


230 

a  luat)  noca  Doilio  Dam, 
rpuag  can  oigiji  na  n-an]iat). 

CuiD  h-l  CuacDuib  t)o'n  leich  c-pap 
Do'n  6peDai5  ay^  bldic  popmani, 
plain  pa  buait)  do  bunaD 
pluaig  'ya  imaici  ag  nneDuguD. 

O'Jloii^in  i^cip  C0151U  cpoD, 
O'^i^ii^  i^ct  ri-apm  n-aDmup, 
Y  d  bpeDai^  pa  cenn  an  coip 
an  Dpem  Do  meDaig  miD-6il. 

QcdiD  6  rnuig  ^amnac  ^lan 

h-1  Deip5  na  m-bpu^  m-bldcTnap, 
ip  h-l  5ctt)an  glepi  ^lan, 
paDaD  D'peli  agup  6  en^nam. 

pdjam  bpeDac  na  n-gopc  n-glap, 
DO  canpam  Dpong  D'd  Ducap, 


Denam 


chief  of  Breadach,  in  Tirawley,  is  recorded. 
Charles  O'Conor  of  Belanagare  anglicises 
it  O'Toffey  in  a  translation  of  a  part  of 
these  Annals,  but  the  Editor  could  not 
find  the  name  in  any  shape  or  form  in  the 
district,  and  he  is  inclined  to  think  that  the 
family  was  nearly  extinct  even  when  this 
poem  was  written,  as  would  appear  from 
the  words  "  Pity  that  there  is  no  heir  of 
the  champions." 

■^  No  heir  of  the  champions In  Duald 

Mac  Firbis's  copy  is  given  as  an  alias 
reading,  rpuaj  500  oioip  'n-a  ppapao,  i.e. 
"  Pity  that  there  is  no  heir  with  them  or 
of  them." 

^  G' Luachduibh This  name  is  also  ob- 


solete  See  p.   II,  Note  ^  ;  though  it 

would  appear  from  the  line,  "  The  host 
and  their  chiefs  are  increasing,"  that  they 
were  in  full  bloom  in  141 7,  when  this 
poem  was  written. 

f  O'Gloinin — In  the  prose  list  prefixed 
to  this  poem  it  is  stated  that  O'Gloinin 
was  seated  at  Rath  na  n-goirmghiall.  The 
name  is  now  either  entirely  lost  or  dis- 
guised under  the  anglicised  forms  of  Glen- 
non,  or  Glynn.  The  chief  of  this  family 
slew  the  famous  warrior,  Cosnamhach 
O'Dowd,  in  the  year  11 62,  in  a  dispute 
about  a  greyhound  whelp. 

s  O^Gilin,  now  obsolete See  p.   11, 

Note  y,  supra. 


^3 


To  mention  him  is  not  grievous  to  me, 

Pity  that  there  is  no  heir  of  the  champions'*. 
O'Luachduibh's^  part  of  the  western  side 

Of  Bredach  is  of  brilUant  aspect, 

Chiefs  accustomed  to  victory  from  their  foundation. 

The  host  and  their  chiefs  are  increasing. 
O'Gloinin*"  who  spared  not  cattle, 

O'Gihn^  of  the  victorious  arms, 

In  Bredach  powerful  their  pursuit, 

The  people  who  have  increased  mede-drinking. 
Of  the  fine  Magh  gamhnach''  are 

The  O'Deirgs'  of  flowery  habitations 

And  the  O'Gadans^  of  pure  honour, 

Glowing  with  hospitahty  and  valour. 
Let  us  leave  Bredach  of  the  green  corn  fields. 

We  have  sung  of  some  of  its  inheritors, 


Let 


^  Magh  gamhnach This  name  means 

the  plain  of  the  milch  cows  or  strippers,  and 
is  rendered  "  campus  fetarum  sive  lacte- 
scentium   vaccarum"   by  Colgan   in    his 

translation  of  the  Life  of  St.  Cormac 

See  Acta  Sanctorum,  pp.  752,  755.  The 
name  is  retained  to  this  day,  and  correctly 
anglicised  Moygawnagh,  and  is  that  of  a 
parish  in  the  west  of  the  barony  of  Tiraw- 
ley.  Of  the  original  church  of  this  parish, 
which  was  dedicated  to  the  virgin  St.  Da- 
ria,  no  vestige  now  remains,  but  its  grave- 
yard is  still  used  for  interment ;  it  is  situ- 
uated  in  the  townland  of  Knockaculleen, 

close  to  the  river  of  Moygawnagh See 

Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo, 


sheet  29.  This  parish  comprises  the  greater 
part  of  the  territory  of  Bredach,  which 
extended  northwards  as  far  as  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Lagan.  It  was  bounded  on  the 
north  by  the  Lagan,  on  the  east  by  Caeille 
Conaill  and  Hy-Eathach  Muaidlie,  on  the 
south  by  Calraighe  Muighe  h-Eleog,  and 
on  the  west  by  Erris. 

'  O'Deirgs.  —  There  are  several  of  this 
name  in  the  counties  of  Mayo  and  Sligo, 
where  it  is  anglicised  Durrig,  Derrig,  and 
Derrick. 

J  G'Gadans. — This  name  is  not  in  the 
district,  though  it  exists,  in  other  parts  of 
Ireland,  under  the  anglicised  form  of  God- 
dan,  Godwin,  or  Goodwin. 


232 

t)enaTn  f  uap  ip  a'  nn-bac  m-bino, 
ay  ppap  a  chnuap  map  cluiniiTi. 

UaiYfgecc  h-1  Lacuna  lain, 
coip  a  maiDini  'ya  mopbdil, 
in  t)d  bacc  ip  a  ^lenD  glan, 
t)ap  lac  1]"  cenn  a  rojiao. 

QpD  QcaD  ap  afbino  pfo, 
Cill  belat),  bpuD  na  pili6, 


^  Up  into  sweet  Bac. — By  puap,  ?(p,  is  to 
this  day  meant  "  to  the  south,"  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  On  examination  of 
the  topography  of  Tirawley  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  poet,  after  describing  the  territo- 
ries of  the  Lagan,  Caeille  Conaill,  and  Hy- 
Eathach  Muaidlie,  next  moves  westwards 
into  Bredach,  and  after  describing  which 
he  moves  upwards,  i.  e.  in  a  southern  di- 
rection, to  visit  the  families  of  Bac, — in  a 
district  commonly  called  The  Two  Bacs 
in  English,  at  the  present  day,  which 
originally  extended  from  Rosserk,  in  the 
parish  of  Bally sok eery,  southwards,  to 
the  point  where  Lough  Cullin  discharges 
its  superabundant  waters  into  the  river 
Moy.  The  territory  of  the  Two  Bacs 
(an  Da  6hac)  was  bounded  on  the  north 
by  the  territory  of  the  Hy-Eathach  Mu- 
aidhe,  from  which  it  was  separated  by 
a  small  stream  falling  into  the  river  Moy, 
near  the  abbey  of  Eosserk;  on  the  east  by 
the  river  Moy,  from  the  point  where  it 
receives  the  abovementioned  stream  at 
Eosserk,  southwards,  to  where  it  receives 
the  waters  of  Lough  Cullin ;  on  the  west 


by  Lough  Cullin  and  Lough  Conn.  But 
though  such  were  the  undoubted  limits 
of  the  Two  Bacs  in  ancient  times,  the 
name  is  now  applied  to  a  comparatively 
small  district  comprising  the  modern  Eo- 
man  Catholic  parish  of  Bacs,  which  contains 
only  the  ancient  parishes  of  Ballynahaglish 
and  Kilbelfad  ;  and  it  is  now  generally 
believed  that  the  Two  Bacs  never  com- 
prised more  than  the  district  lying  between 
Lough  Conn  and  the  river  Moy.  So  it  is 
shown  on  Balds'  Map  of  the  County  of 
INIayo ;  and  it  was  described  for  the  Editor 
in  1838,  by  the  most  intelligent  of  the 
natives,  as  divided  into  two  parts  called 
Cul-Bhac  and  Beal-Bhac,  and  extending 
from  Eathduff,  northwards,  to  Eehins, 
near  Ballina,  and  westwards  to  Cloghans 
and  Shraheen  hill,  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 
belfad. But  it  is  clear  from  this  poem 
that  the  territory  of  the  Two  Bacs  was 
originally  much  more  extensive,  for  Ar- 
dagh,  Kilmore-Moy,  and  Eosserk,  are  said 
to  be  in  it ;  and  Eosserk  was  on  the  boun- 
dary between  it  and  the  country  of  the 
Hy-Eathach    Muaidhe,    which   extended. 


233 


Let  us  make  our  way  up  into  sweet  Bac'', 

Quick  grows  its  fruit  as  I  hear. 
The  full  chieftainship  of  0'Lachtna\ 

(Just  his  boast  and  ostentation), 

Comprises  the  two  Bacs  and  the  fair  Glenn"^, 

Rich  methinks  its  production. 

Ard  achadh°  of  delightful  woods, 

Cill  Belad°,  seat  of  the  poets, 

Belongs 

glen  or  valley  district  is  situated  on  the 
west  side  of  Lough  Conn,  comprising 
nearly  all  the  parish  of  Addergoole,  in 
the  barony  of  Tirawley ;  its  boundary  runs 
from  Lough  Conn  in  a  south-western  di- 
rection to  Bearna  na  gaoithe,  or  "Windy 
Gap,  thence  westwards  to  the  mountain 
called  Birreencorragh,  and  thence  north- 
wards to  Tristia,  thence  to  Ballybrenoge, 
and  thence  to  Caerthannan,  otherwise 
called  Castle  Hill,  and  back  again  to 
Lough  Conn.  It  is  named  Glenn  Nem- 
thinne,  from  a  lofty  mountain  called  Cnoc 
Nemthinne  which  towers  over  it  to  the 
height  of  2646  feet. 

^  Ard  achadh,  i.  e.  high-field,  now  Ar- 

dagh,  a  parish  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley 

See  p.  II,  Note  ^ 

°  Cill  belad,  now  Kilbelfad,  a  parish  in- 
cluded in  the  district  called  the  Two  Bacs, 
and  verging  on  the  east  side  of  Lough  Conn, 
in  the  south  of  the  barony  of  Tirawley. 
According  to  tradition  Belfad  was  the 
name  of  the  patron  saint  of  this  parish, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  bishop,  but 
no  notice  of  him  is  to  be  found  in  the  Irish 
calendars. 


according  to  all  the  authorities,  from  Eos 
Eire,  or  Eos  Seirce,  to  Fearsad  Treisi. 
There  is  a  remarkable  pillar  stone  about 
half  a  mile  to  the  west  of  the  abbey  of 
Eosserk,  which  may  well  be  supposed  to 
have  marked  the  boundary  between  it  and 
the  latter  territory. 

'  G'Lachtna.  —  This  name  is  still  com- 
mon in  many  parts  of  the  county  of 
Mayo,  and  is  now  always  O'Lachtnain 
in  Irish,  and  anglicised  Loughnane,  and 
sometimes  even  Loftus,  as  already  stated 
in  p.  10,  Note  °.  In  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  at  the  year  1 2 1 7,  the  name 
is  written  O'Lachtna.  "  A.  D.  121 7.  Ca- 
thal  Fionn  O'Lachtna,  chief  of  the  Two 
Bacs,  was  treacherously  slain  in  his  own 
house  by  O'Flynn  of  Magh  h-Eleog."  But 
at  the  year  1251,  the  same  annalists  write 
the  name  O'Lachtnain,  exactly  as  it  is 
pronounced  at  the  present  day,  thus : — 
"A.  D.  1 25 1.  Flann  O'Lachtnain,  chief 
of  the  Two  Bacs,  died." 

"  The  fair  Glenn,  i.  e.  Glenn  Nemthinne. 
In  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem  it 
is  stated  that  O'Lachtna  was  chief  of  the 
Two  Bacs  and  Gleann  Nemthinne.     This 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


2H 


234 

'c  O'rnaeilpuain  ndp  eici^  pea]i, 
pe  h-eicib  pluai^  a^  pneaD. 

O  baili  h-1  Gimeacan  uill 

O'h-Gmeacan  puaip  oppuiTYi, 
'na  bpujait)  pa  buait)  can  bpom, 
pluai^  ana  rulaig  re^aio. 

OXaecailli,  laec  can  len, 

bpu^ait)  t)o  biacaD  bpainen, 
rpiac  TTlui^i  puapa  na  plet), 
cuipe  cuanna  ndp  cdinea6. 

O  Lip  Cumin  na  n-gopu  n-^eal, 
h-l  Cumin  cpoDa  an  cineaD, 
bpu^ait)  ndp  peall  ap  aicmi, 
cubait)  cenn  na  clannmaicni. 

TTleic  Conlena  na  lann  pean, 
]i-l  Ouba^dn  na  n-Dei^-peap, 
6  Cliill  moip  TTluam  na  mag, 
poip  pa  ba  cpuaioi  cungnam. 


h-1 


P  G'Maoilruain This  name  would  be  O'h-Emeachain,  which  would  be  analogi- 

anglicised  Mulrojrae,  but  it  does  not  ex-  cally  anglicised  Emaghan,  is  also  obsolete. 

ist  now  in  this  district.  "■  G' Laechaille,  now  obsolete. 

*'  Baile  Ui  Emeacham This   name,  *  Magh  Fuara,  is  noAv  obsolete,  and  its 

which  was  undoubtedly  applied  to  a  large  position  in  the  territory  of  the  Bacs  can- 

Ballybetagh,   or  ancient  Irish  townland,  not  be  determined. 

containing  about  480  Irish  acres,  is  now  ^  Lis  Cumin.  —  From  a  notice  of  this 

obsolete,  and  no  clue  has  been  discovered  place  already  given  in  page  1 1 ,  it  appears 

to  ascertain  what  position  in  the  terri-  that  it  was  situated  on  the  river  Moy,  but 

tory  of  the  Bacs  it  occupied,  unless  that,  the  name  is  not  in  existence. 

as  it  is  mentioned  immediately  after  Cill  "  G'Cumins,  now  Cummin  and  Cum- 

Belad,  we  may  assume  that  it  was  in  the  mins  ;  but  there  are  several  families  of 

immediate    neighbourhood    of  the   place  the  name  in  Ireland,  and  many  of  them  of 

now  called  Kilbelfad.     The  family  name,  English  origin. 


235 

Belongs  to  O'Maoilruain^,  who  refused  not  any  one, 

Who  marches  with  the  wings  of  the  army. 
Of  Baile  Ui  Emeachain^  the  great 

Is  O'h-Emeachain,  who  obtained  respect, 

A  victorious  Brughaidh  without  oppression. 

Hosts  to  his  mansion  come. 
O'Laechaille^  a  hero  without  misfortune, 

A  Brughaidh  who  was  wont  to  feed  the  ravens, 

Is  lord  of  Magh  Fuara'  of  banquets, 

A  comely  hero  who  was  never  dispraised. 
Of  Lis  Cumin''  of  the  white  corn-^elds 

Are  the  O'Cumins",  a  brave  tribe ; 

Brughaidhs  who  acted  treacherously  to  no  people ; 

And  worthy  of  his  rank  is  the  head  of  the  family. 
Mac  Conlena''  of  ancient  swords. 

The  O'Dubhagains"'  of  good  men 

Were  of  Gill  mor  Muaidhe""  of  the  plains, 

A  troop  hardy  in  giving  succour. 

The 

"  Mac  Conlena,  now  obsolete.  the  barony  of  Tirawley,  and  giving  name 

"'  O'Dubkagains.— This  family  now  spell  to  a  parish  which  is  partly  in  the  barony 

their  name  Duggan,  which  is  a  very  ugly  of  Tirawley,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Moy, 

form  of  the  name.     O'Flaherty  anglicised  and  partly  in  that  of  Tireragh,  on  the  east 

it  Duvegan  in  the  latter  end  of  the  seven-  side  of  the  same  river.     This  church  is 

teenth  century,  and  in  1758   a  very  re-  much  celebrated  in  the  lives  of  St.  Patrick, 

spectable  man  of  the  name,  Dr.  Michael  and  particularly  in  the  Tripartite   Life, 

Ignatius  Dugan,  of  Dublin,  wrote  it  Du-  under  the  name  of  CiU  mor  Uachtar  Mu- 

gan,  with  a  single  ff.  aidhe,  as  the  reader  will  find  by  reference 

""  CiU  mor  Muaidhe,  I  e.  the  gveat  church  to  Colgan's  Trias  Thaum.  pp.  137,  141. 

of  the  river  Moy,  now  always  anglicised  The  Editor  examined  the  old  church  of 

Kilmore-Moy,  and  is  the  name  of  an  an-  this  place  in  May,  1838,  but  found  it  so 

cient  church  situated  a  short  distance  to  patched  up  with  the  repairs  of  various 

the  north-west  of  the  town  of  Ballina,  in  ages,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  determine 

2H2 


236 

h-1  C[i|iTneat)ai5  na  n-ec  Tneji, 
h-1  Ronan  Do  puaip  aijieam 
6  TTla^  Tii-5|i6in  na  call  co]icpa, 
mp  ^ann  an  flo^  pomolca; 

Clann  pipbipij  nap  luai^  locr, 
ollanriain  cuijit)  Connacc; 
6  l?opei|ic  t)6ib  na  DegaiD  ; 
niji  coip  ceilc  a  cineaDaig. 

"Caifi  loc  piap  Da  peola  me 
nf  jiac  uf^i  bup  paiDe, 


m 


its  ancient  extent  or  characteristics,  ex- 
cept its  ancient  doorway.  Near  it  is  a 
holy  well  dedicated  to  St.  Patrick,  the 
patron  and  founder,  and  on  a  hUl  imme- 
diately to  the  south  is  an  old  church- 
yard, in  which  is  a  rock  anciently  called 
Lia  na  manach,  on  which  the  Irish  apos- 
tle caused  a  cross  to  be  inscribed See 

Vit.  Tripartit.  lib.  ii.  c.  90.  This  cross 
is  to  be  seen  at  this  day  inscribed  in  inciso 
within  a  circle,  sixteen  inches  in  diameter. 

y  0'' Airmeadhaigh,  now  either  obsolete, 
or  disguised  under  some  strange  anglicised 
form. 

^  O'Ronains,  anglicised  Eonan  in  Con- 
naught,  where  there  are  several  distinct 
families  of  the  name,  and  Ronayne  in 
Munster. 

*  Magh  Broin This  is   one   of  the 

places  mentioned  in  the  very  early  portion 
of  Irish  history.  In  the  Dinnsenchus,  as 
preserved  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  247, 
a,  a,  it  is  called  one  of  the  remarkable 


places  of  Tir  Amhalgaidh,  or  Tirawley, 
and  said  to  have  been  named  from  one  of 
the  Tuatha  De  Dananns,  a  colony,  who 
preceded  the  Scoti  or  Milesians  in  their 
occupation  of  Ireland,  namely,  from  Bron 
(the  son  of  Allod,  and  brother  of  the  na- 
vigator, Manannan  Mac  Lir),  who  first 
cleared  this  plain  of  wood.  Though  this 
was  brought  under  cultivation  at  so  early 
a  period,  and  seems  to  have  been  cele- 
brated by  the  Irish  bards  for  its  beauty 
and  fertility,  as  well  as  for  its  antiquity 
and  the  hospitality  of  its  proprietors,  there 
is  no  person  now  living  in  Tirawley  that 
ever  heard  of  the  name,  much  less  any  one 
who  is  able  to  point  out  its  position  in  the 
territory  of  the  Bacs :  but  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable that  the  name  is  retained  in  Killy- 
brone — which  may  well  be  supposed  a 
corruption  of  Cill  IVIhuighe  Broin, — the 
name  of  a  townland  containing  the  ruins 
of  a  church  near  Deel  Castle,  in  the  parish 
of  Ardagh.   The  beauty,  fertility,  and  level 


237 

The  O'Airmeadhaiglis^  of  swift  steeds, 

The  O'Ronains^,  who  received  respect, 

Were  of  Magh  Broin*  of  scarlet  hazles  ; 

The  praise-worthy  host  were  not  few ; 
The  Clann  Firbisigh''  also,  who  reported  no  fault, 

The  oUamhs  of  the  province  of  Connaiight ; 

They  were  at  Rosseirc  afterwards ; 

It  would  not  be  proper  to  conceal  their  lineage. 
Across  the  lake  westwards  should  I  saiP, 

I  need  not  go  a  longer  journey; 


It 


character  of  the  land  in  this  neighbour- 
hood, and  the  absolute  certainty  of  its 
being  a  portion  of  the  original  territory 
called  An  Da  Bhac,  of  which  Magh  Broin 
was  a  part,  will  go  far  to  corroborate,  if 
not  to  establish  this  conclusion. 

''  The  Clann  Flrbisigh,  i.  e.  the  fa- 
mily of  Mac  Firbis,  were  originally  of 
Magh  Broin,  until  they  settled  at  Rosserk, 
in  the  parish  of  Ballysokeery,  where  they 
were  not  only  ollamhs,  or  chief  poets  to 
the  chiefs  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  but  also,  if 
we  believe  the  head  of  them  in  141 7,  chief 
poets  of  all  Connaught.  This  family  af- 
terwards settled  at  Lecan,  to  the  east  of 
the  river  Moy,  in  the  parish  of  Kilglass, 
barony  of  Tireragh,  where  they  held  lands 
under  O'Dowd  in  the  capacity  of  ollamhs, 
or  chief  historians  and  poets. 

•^  Across  the  lake  westwards  should  I  sail, 
i.  e.  across  the  great  lake  of  Lough  Conn. 
We  have  already  seen  the  exact  order  in 
which  the  poet  describes  the  territories  of 


Tirawley.  The  last  district  which  he  de- 
scribed, namely,  the  territory  of  the  Bacs, 
lies  principally  between  Lough  Conn  and 
the  river  Moy,  and  he  now  gives  notice  of 
his  passing  out  of  this  territory  over  across 
the  lake  into  Glen  Nephin,  and  the  other 
districts  of  Tirawley  not  yet  described. 
It  is  true  that  he  might  have  passed  from 
Magh  Broin,  already  referred  to  in  Note  % 
page  236,  to  the  territories  next  to  be  no- 
ticed, without  crossing  the  lake ;  but  it 
is  quite  evident  that  he  wished  to  intro- 
duce the  great  lake  into  his  poem,  as  it 
forms  so  striking  a  feature  in  the  country 
and  so  grand  a  boundary  between  the  ter- 
ritory last  described  and  Glenn  Nephin. 
Glenn  Nephin,  though  separated  from  the 
territory  of  the  Bacs  by  Lough  Conn,  was 
nevertheless  a  portion  of  the  principality 
of  O'Lachtna ;  but  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  we  are  told  nothing  of  the  farmers  or 
servitors  of  O'Lachtnain  in  that  valley  dis- 
trict. 


238 

Til  ^epp  an  Icirhac  bnoe, 

CO  glenn  napac  NenichinDi. 

h-l  ITlailpina  nap  ep  peap, 

h-1  gaibcecan  na  n-^ep  pleaj, 
a^  t)dil  cpaipec  Do'n  cviipi, 
t)d  cuipec  ddip  Cballpai^e. 

Qp  TTluis  eiea^  ap  dpo  pacli, 
'na  bpiigait)  calma  ceoac, 
O'piomt),  an  peinnea^  pepDa, 
pap  epi5  opom^  t)ei5-t)elba. 


h-1 


'^  G'Mailfhina This  name,  which  was 

anglicised  O'Mollina,  is  noAV  scarcely  ex- 
tant. At  the  year  1269  it  is  stated  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  that  Flaith- 
bheartach  O'Maoilf  hiona,  chief  of  one  half 
the  territory  of  Calraighe  Muighe  h-Eleog, 
Avas  slain  by  O'Gaibhtheachain,  chief  of 
the  other  half ;  but  no  other  entry  rela- 
ting to  them  is  found  in  that  chronicle. 
For  the  descent  of  this  family  see  p.  1 3. 

e  The  G'Gaibhtheachains.  —  This  family 
have  all  anglicised  their  name  Gaughan, 
which  is  not  incorrect.  The  name  is  still 
common,  and  the  family  remarkable  for 
their  vigour  and  longevity.  The  Editor 
conversed  with  a  man  of  this  name  in  the 
town  of  Westport,  who  was  working  at 
his  trade  as  a  mason,  in  the  eighty-ninth 
year  of  his  age,  when  he  was  in  vigorous 
health  and  in  the  full  possession  of  his 
memory  and  other  mental  faculties. 

f  Calraighe.  —  This  is  called  Calraighe 
INIuio-he  h-Eleog  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 


Masters,  at  the  year  1269,  as  above  seen 
in  Note  ^.  This  territory,  which  con- 
tained Cros  Ui  Mhaoilfhiona,  the  seat  of 
O'Maoilfhiona,  now  the  little  town  of 
Crossmolina,  was  nearly  co- extensive  with 
the  present  parish  of  Crossmolina  ;  it  was 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  territory  of 
Bredach,  or  the  parish  of  Moygawnagh, 
on  the  east  by  the  territory  of  the  Two 
Bacs,  Lough  Conn  forming,  to  a  great 
extent,  the  boundary  between  them ;  on 
the  south  by  Glenn  Nephin,  which  it  met 
at  Caerthannan,  now  Castlehill,  and  on 
the  west  by  Erris. 

e  Magh  Eleag,  generally  written  Magh 
h-Eleog,  was  the  plain,  or  the  level  part  of 
Calraighe,  through  which  the  river  Deel 
flows. 

^  Hundred-cattled  hrughaidh The  an- 
cient Irish  brughaidh,  or  farmer,  was 
called  brughaidh  ceadach,  i.  e.  the  cen- 
turion brughaidh,  because  he  was  bound 
by  the  law  to  keep  one  hundred  labourers 


239 

It  is  not  a  short  excursion  on  the  water 

To  reach  the  prosperous  Glenn  Nemthinne. 
The  O'Mailfhinas''  who  refused  not  any  one, 

The  O'Gaibhtlieachains^  of  the  sharp  spears, 

Distributing  lances  to  the  troop, 

Were  the  two  chiefs  of  the  plain  of  Calraighe^ 
Over  Magh  Eleag^  of  high  prosperity. 

As  a  brave  and  hundred- cattled"  Brughaidh 

Is  O'Floinn',  the  manly  champion. 

Under  whom  a  fair-faced  race  have  risen. 


The 


and  one  hundred  of  each  kmd  of  cattle  of 
domestic  animals,  as  cows,  horses,  pigs, 
sheep,  goats,  cats,  hens,  geese,  bees,  &c. 
This  is  distinctly  stated  in  the  Leabhar 
Buidhe  of  the  Mac  Firbises  of  Lecan, 
col.  921,  now  in  the  Library  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin. 

'  O'Floinn,  now  O'Flynn.  It  is  stated 
in  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem  that 
O'Floinn  was  seated  at  Oireamh  of  Lough 
Conn,  now  Errew,  a  townland  in  the  pa- 
rish of  Crossmolina,  on  a  point  of  which, 
stretching  into  Lough  Conn,  stand  the 
ruins  of  an  abbey  of  considerable  extent, 
but  now  much  decayed,  said  to  have  been 
erected  by  the  Barretts  on  the  site  of  a 
very  ancient  church  dedicated  to  St.  Tigh- 
earnan  of  Errew,  to  whom  the  more  mo- 
dern monastery  was  also  dedicated,  as 
appears  from  the  following  passage  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year 
141 3  : — "Henry  Barrett  was  taken  pri- 
soner in  the  church  of  Airech  Locha  Con, 


by  Robert  Mac  Wattin  [Barrett],  who  led 
him  captive,  though  he  violated  the  church 
[by  so  doing].  But  the  patron  saint  of 
the  place  (Tighearnan  Airigh)  appeared 
every  night  to  Mac  Wattin  in  a  vision, 
requesting  him  to  restore  the  prisoner  ; 
this  request  was  finally  agreed  to,  and 
Mac  Wattin  bestowed  a  quarter  of  land 
on  St.  Tighearnan  Airigh  for  ever,  as  an 
eric  [reparation]  for  having  profaned  his 
church."  A  holy  well,  called  Tobar  Tigh- 
earnain,  dedicated  to  this  saint,  is  situated 
in  the  south  of  the  townland  of  Killeen, 
and  a  relic,  which  belonged  to  him,  called 
Mias  Tighearnain,  i.  e.  St.  Tighearnan's 
dish,  was  preserved  for  ages  in  the  family  of 
O'Flynn,  who  are  said  to  have  been  the  he- 
renachs,  or  hereditary  Avardens  of  Errew  ; 
but,  though  they  held  it  in  the  highest 
veneration  as  a  relic  of  the  patron  saint  of 
their  family,  they  Avere  finally  induced,  in 
a  hard  summer,  when  provisions  were 
very  dear,  to  sell  it  to  Mr.  Knox  of  Eappa 


240 


h-1  piann^aili  nap  luaiO  locc, 

Openi  ly^  coiccinDi  cp66acc, 

im  Loc  ^linoi,  pa  n  pial  peap, 

51II1  t)'dp  giall  an  gaipceaO. 
Oa  cumap,  ap  pach  pepa, 

t)o  peip  na  cpaeb  coibnepa, 

pineaoai^  an  cfpi  rail, 

t)'pileat)aib  niine  TTianann; 

map  olegap  t)oni  [no  t)o'n]  cleip  in  cliumj, 

Do  peip  ^ac  lebuip  labpuim. 
UiucpaD  a  h-afrli  m'ecupa, 

began  cpoga  cuiDecra 

ni  Ti-aimglic  a  n-uaip  Idmaig, 

cap  TIluaiD  m-baill-bpic  Tn-bpaDdnaig. 


pea6 


Castle,  in  whose  possession  it  now  remains. 
This  relic  was  seized  upon  by  Dr.  Lyons, 
who  found  it  with  the  peasantry,  when 
one  of  them  was  in  the  act  of  swearing 
upon  it,  by  consent,  it  appears,  of  Mr. 
Knox,  and  while  it  was  in  his  possession 
he  published  a  curious  description  of  it, 
with  an  account  of  the  superstitious  uses 
made  of  it  by  the  peasantry.  It  was  after- 
wards restored  to  Eappa  Castle  on  condi- 
tion that  it  should  never  again  be  lent  to 
the  peasantry  to  be  sworn  upon,  or  used 
for  any  superstitious  purposes,  and  this 
condition  has  been  honourably  observed 
by  the  proprietor  of  Kappa  Castle,  who 
sets  a  high  value  on  the  Mias  Tighearnain, 
as  being  a  monument  of  the  primitive  Irish 
Church,  and  the  chief,  if  not  the  only  relic 


of  Tirawley,  which  it  is  an  honour  to  his 
family  to  preserve.  For  the  pedigree  of 
St.  Tighearnan,  who  is  stated  to  have  been 
fostered  by  an  ancestor  of  the  Mac  Firbises, 
see  p.  12,  Note  ^,  and  the  pedigree  of 
Duald  Mac  Firbis,  pp.  1 00- 103,  supra. 

i  The  G' Flannghailes.  —  This  family  is 
still  in  the  country,  but  more  numerous 
in  Tireragh.  The  name  is  now  anglicised 
Flannelly. 

^  Loch  Glinne — This  would  be  angli- 
cised Lough  Glynn,  but  there  is  now  no 
lake,  or  place  of  the  name,  in  the  district 
which  Callraighe  Muighe  h-Eleog  com- 
prised, and  as  there  are  so  many  small  lakes 
in  this  district  bearing  names  apparently 
modern,  it  is  now  impossible  to  determine 
which  of  them  was  originally  known  by 


241 


The  0'Flannghailes\  who  reported  no  fault, 

A  people  of  most  universal  bravery, 

Dwell  round  Loch  Glinne''  of  hospitable  men, 

Youths  with  whom  valour  is  a  hostage. 
I  have  composed,^it  is  cause  of  knowledge, — 

According  to  the  genealogical  ramifications, 

An  account  of  the  tribes  of  the  country  beyond  the  Moy, 

For  the  poets  of  the  plain  of  Manann\ 

Even  as  the  yoke  is  due  to  [borne  by]  the  clergy™ 

According  to  each  book  I  speak. 
I  shall  advance  after  my  journey  thither, 

With  a  small  brave  company. 

Who  are  not  inexpert  at  the  time  of  shooting, 

Across  the  Muaidh"  of  speckled  salmons. 

Throusfhout 


the  appellation  of  Loch  Glinne. 

'  The  plain  of  Manann By  this  the 

poet  may  mean  Ireland,  or  perhaps  the  pro- 
vince of  Connaught,  in  which  Manann,  or, 
more  correctly,  Manannan,  was  a  famous 
chieftain  and  navigator  in  the  time  of  the 
Tuatha  De  Dananns. 

•"  Even  as  the  yoke,  S^c.  —  The  poet 
here  expresses  himself  in  rather  obscure 
words,  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
what  he  intends  to  say  is  this  : — I  have 
now  composed,  in  the  order  of  their  gene- 
alogical relationship,  an  account  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  country  west  of  the 
river  Moy,  which  will  be  the  cause  of 
spreading  knowledge  among  the  bards  of 
Ireland  ;  and  in  this  account  I  have  ad- 
hered to  the  authority  of  the  books  be- 
fore me,  in  giving  the  descents  and  localities 


of  those  families,  with  as  scrupulous  an 
adherence  to  the  truth  of  history  as  the 
clergy  should  observe  in  attending  to  the 
duties  imposed  on  them  by  the  yoke  of 
the  Lord,  which  they  have  taken  upon 
them. 

°  Across  the  Muaidh. — The  poet  having 
finished  his  description  of  TiraAvley,  here 
gives  notice  of  his  passing  out  of  it  by 
crossing  the  river  Moy,  which  formed  the 
boundary  between  it  and  the  territory  of 
Tir  Fhiachrach,  the  name  of  which  is  pre- 
served in  that  of  the  present  barony  of 
Tireragh,  though  it  is  quite  clear  that  the 
barony  is  not  as  extensive  as  the  territory 
whose  name  it  preserves,  for  the  whole  of 
the  district  of  Coolcarney,  extending  from 
the  Yellow  Eiver  to  the  river  Brosnach, 
which  is  now  a  part  of  the  barony  of  Gal- 


lEISH  AKCH.  SOC.   12. 


2I 


242 

pea6  na  ruaicln  a  rdimj  me 

l^loinopeaD  oaib, — ip  piy^  pipi, — 
CO  luac  t>o'n  ^eil-pebac  ^lan 
^emealac  na  cuach  cpebap. 

UuaiTTi  Da  booap  ap  bpeic  51II, 
ceann  na  cuaiui  pi  cuipimnn, 
Qch  Cunga  'n  a  cent)  oili ; 
uppa  an  Dpeam  t)'dp  n-Damaib-ni 

Da  bf  cafpec  uaip  eli 

'pa  cpfc  pi  ap  cloint)  Lae^aipi, 
li-l  Gijni^  ap  cenD  ap  cdc 
renn  nip  eigm^  an  r-o^ldc. 

h-l  '^eala-^a.Y),  pip  na  pleo, 

'pcf  Sp^^^PS  T  "S^^^  inobep, 
Cill  iccaip  ip  peapant)  Doib, 
5el-ponn  'na  pilcaip  penmoip. 
Imleac  loipci  ip  t)uuai6  t)6ib 
Ti-1  Gnoa  pa  cpom  nnoil, 
6  m-bpuionib  pa  pcenmoa  pcol, 
'na  Tn-buiDnib  bpe^Da  bpugao. 


1 


len,  was  originally  a  portion  of  Tir  Fiach-  odhar  in  the  prose  list,  now  Toomore,  the 

rach,  and  belonged  to  families  of  the  race  name  of  an  old  church  and  parish  in  the 

of  Fiachra,  not  to  the  descendants  of  Cor-  barony  of  Gallen,  and  county  of  Mayo, 

mac  Gaileng,  from  whom  the  barony  of  The  little  town  of  Foxford,  on  the  Moy, 

Gallen  derived  its  name.    This  shows  that  is  in  the  parish.     There  are  two  other 

at  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  baro-  places  of  this  name  in  Connaught,  one  in 

nies  the  ancient  territories  were  dismem-  the  north-east  of  the  barony  of  Costello, 

bered,   and  that  though  the  former  retain  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  and  the  other  in 

the  name  of  the  latter  in  many  instances,  the  barony  of  Corran  and  county  of  Sligo. 

they  do  not  always  preserve  their  extent  ^  Atk  Cunga,   now   called   Beal   Atha 

and  boundaries.  Cunga  in  Irish,  and  anglicised  Ballycong. 

°  Tmim  da  bhodkar,  called  Tuaim  dha  It  is  situated  near  Ballymore  Lough,  in 


243 

Throughout  the  region  over  which  I  have  passed, 
I  will  name  for  you, — it  is  true  knowledge, — 
Quickly  from  the  fair  bright  branches, 
The  genealogy  of  the  discreet  tribes. 

Tuaim  da  bodhar°  which  won  the  wagers. 
Is  the  limit  of  this  country  I  describe, 
Ath  Cunga^  is  its  other  limit ; 
The  inhabitants  are  supporters  of  our  bards. 

There  was  a  chief  at  another  time 

In  this  territory  over  the  race  of  Laeghaire**, 
D'h-Eignigh',  who  was  head  over  all, 
No  power  oppressed  the  hero. 

The  O'Gealagans',  men  of  banquets. 
Dwelt  in  Grainseach^  of  bright  rivers. 
Gill  Ichtair"  is  their  land. 
Bright  soil  in  which  sermons  are  sown. 

Imleach  loisce''  is  the  inheritance 

Of  the  O'h-Endas"'  of  heavy  crowds, 
From  their  forts  did  burst  the  shouts ; 
They  were  fine  septs  of  brughaidhs. 


The 


the  parish  of  Attymas,  and  barony  of  Gal-  now  to  be  found  in  the  district  here  de- 

len See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  scribed. 

Mayo,  sheet  40.  "  Cill  Ichtair,  i.  e.  the  lower  church.   It 

•1  Race  of  Laeghaire See  p.  43,  et  se-  is  stated  in  the  prose  account  that  this 

quent.  was  an  alias  name  for  Grainseach. 

'  Ch-Eignigh,  now  unknown.     He  ap-  "^  Imleach  loisce — This  name  would  be 

pears  to  have  sunk  even  before  the  writer's  anglicised  Emlaghlosky,  but  it  is  now  un- 

time.  known,  unless  it  be  the  place  called  Em- 

^  O'Gealagains,  now  Gilligans.  laghmoran,  which  lies  to  the  north-east 

^  Grainseach — This  name  is  anglicised  of  the  townland  of  Breaghwy,  mentioned 

Grange,  or  Gransha,  in  every  part  of  Ire-  in  Note  '. 

land,  but  there  is  no  place  of  the  name  ""  G'h-Enda,  now  Heany. 

2  1  2 


244 

1  TTlongctn  naji  cjiuaio  ]ie  cleip, 

li-l  bpogan  ndp  cuill  cabeim, 

CU1I5  pa  cubaiD  t)o'n  ciii]ii, 

t)d  bpugaiD  buipt)  bpecmui^i. 
O  6el  dta  Cunga  cpuaiD 

na  peajiaino  piap  co  pean-TTIuaiD, 

'c  O'Cuint)  ip  'c  O'TTiopdn  meap, 

ap  cuill  Tnop-dn  na  mfleaD. 
Uap  eip  h-1  6151115  na  n-eac, 

ceiD  O'TTiopdn  co  maiDmeac 

CO  Ti-QpD  na  piaD  pial  a'  peap 

t)o  piap  cliap  ocup  coinDem. 
O'  O'niopdn,  00  cleacr  caua, 

a  n-mat)  an  dpt)-plaua, 

Qpt)  na  piat)  Do  peioi^  pint), 

pian  lep  epig  ap  n-int)cint). 
pdgaTYi  pi'l  Laejaipe  lumt), 

cpiallam  'yna  pooaib  ponfiuino, 

cap  Uuaim  od  boDap  ;  co  binn, 

na  pluaig  'ca  molao  maiDiTn. 

Callpaioi 

^  G'Mongans.  —  This  family  is  still  in  are  sufficient  to  disprove  this  assertion, 

the  district,  and  have  all  anglicised  the  y  Brogans. — h-l    6po5an   is   still  the 

name  to  Mangan,  though  Mongan,  which  form  of  the  name  used  in  both  languages, 

is  the  form  of  the  name  adopted  in  other  except  that  in  Irish  the  genitive  case  of 

parts  of  Ireland,  would  be  more  analogical,  the  name  of  the  progenitor  is  placed  after 

James  Mangan  of  Ballina,  merchant,  is  of  the  0',  or  its  plural  form  1  or  Ui. 

this  tribe,  but  James  Mangan  of  Dublin,  ^  Breachmhagh,  now  anglicised  Breagh- 

the  poet,  is  of  the  southern  O'Mongans.  wy,    and   sometimes   Breaffy.     It  is  the 

Spenser  asserts  that  the  name  Mungan,  name  of  a  large  townland  situated  in  the 

and  all  those  which  terminate  in  an,  are  southern  extremity  of  that  part  of  the 

of  English  origin ;  but  the  Irish  annals  parish  of  Kilmore-Moy,  lying  east  of  the 

and  authentic  genealogical   manuscripts  river  Moy. 


"245 

The  O'Mongans'',  who  were  not  penurious  to  the  clergy, 

The  O'Brogans^,  who  deserved  no  reproach, 

Swords  were  befitting  their  troops, 

T^o  families  q/*  brughaidhs  of  the  plain  of  Breachmhagh^. 
From  Bel  atha  Cunga^  the  hard, 

The  lands  westwards  to  the  old  river  Muaidh", 

Belong  to  O'Cuinn*"  and  O'Moran**  the  swift, 

Who  deserved  the  great  esteem  of  the  soldiers. 
After  O'h-Eignigh  of  the  steeds 

O'Moran  goes  triumphantly 

To  Ard  na  riagh^,  hospitable  the  man. 

To  tend  the  learned  and  the  banquets. 
For  O'Moran,  who  was  accustomed  to  battles 

In  the  place  of  the  other  arch-cliieftain, 

We  have  allotted  Ard  na  riagh, 

A  hero  by  whom  our  mind  was  raised. 
Let  us  leave  the  race  of  puissant  Laeghaire, 

Let  us  traverse  the  roads  before  us, 

Over  Tuaim  da  bhodhar ;  sweetly 

Let  us  boast  of  the  host  by  praising  them. 

Into 

^Bel  atha  cunga,  is  so  called  at  the  pre-  ^  O'Moran,    now  Moran,   a  name  still 

sent  day See  Note  p,  supra.  respectable  in  this  district.   It  is  stated  in 

^  Muaidh,  now  the  Moy.     For  the  pre-  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  at  the 

sent  names  of  the  places,  and  the  extent  year   1 208,  that  Amhlaoibh  O'Eothlain, 

of  the  tract  lying  between  Ballycong  and  chief  of  Calruidhe  Cuile  Cearnadha,  was 

the  river  Moy,  the  reader  is  referred  to  slain  by  O'Moran.    The  O'Morans  of  this 

the  Ordnance  Map  of  the  county  of  Mayo,  race  are  to   be  distinguished   from   the 

sheets  39  and  40.  O'Morans  of  Clann  Cathail,  near  Elphin, 

•^  O'Cuinn,  now  Quin,  but  there  are  se-  in  the  county  of  Roscommon. 

veral  families  of  the   name   of  different         ^  Ard  na  riagh,  now  Ardnarea See 

races  even  in  the  country  of  the  Hy-Fiach-  p.  34,  Note  "',  supra. 
rach,  as  already  more  than  once  observed. 


246 


Callpait)!  Cliuili  na  cneat) 
yiacaD  mnci  o'ct  li-di]ieTYi, 
Cull  Cejino^a  na  coll  capp 
nemDona  an  opong  o'an  t)uca]^p. 

Cearjia  cafpij  af  cfp  chuct]^, 
a  Callpaioi  na  caem  cnuap, 
coinDem  Do  caio  pap  caipc-m, 
cdip  ploinoem  na  paep-maicm. 

TTla  Cuint)  ip  O'Porlan  peiD 

O'h-lapnan  na  n-apm  n-ai^meil, 
a^  Digbdil  Oo'n  ^lepi  gall, 
O'pfndm,  mem  mop  cpano. 

O  bhel  Gapa  na  n-eap  n-glan, 
pea6  na  cuaire  ndp'  cuba6 
50  bpopnaij  ap  ceann  cuile, 


pap 


f  Callraighe  of  Cuil,  now  always  called 
Cuil  Cearnadha,  and  anglicised  Coolcar- 
ney ;  it  is  shown  on  Balds'  Map  of  the 
County  of  Mayo,  and  also  on  the  Index  to 
the  Ordnance  Map  of  the  same  county,  as 
comprising  the  parishes  of  Kilgarvan  and 
Attymas — See  prose  list. 

s  Ma  Cuinn,  now  Mac  Quia. 

•>  O'Rothlain.  —  That  O'Eothlain,  who 
was  chief  of  Calruidhe  Cuile  Cearnadha, 
in  the  year  1 208,  we  have  already  seen  in 
Note  ^,  p.  245.  The  name  is  now  angli- 
cised, very  incorrectly,  Rowley,  and  is  still 
respectable  in  Mayo.  EoUan,  or  Rollin, 
would  represent  it  in  English  much  bet- 
ter. 

i  G'h-Iarnain,  unknown  to  the  Editor. 


The  name  would  be  anglicised  O'Hearnan, 
or  Hernon. 

J  G'Finain,  now  O'Finan.  Dr.  O'Finan, 
formerly  Roman  Catholic  Bishop  of  Kil- 
lala,  is  of  this  family,  and  a  native  of  this 
very  district. 

^  From  Beat  easa This  quatrain  is  in- 
serted from  DualdMac  Firbis's  larger  work 
compiled  in  1 645.  It  is  probably  not  cor- 
rect, for  it  is  stated  in  the  prose  account 
prefixed  to  this  poem,  that  Cuil  Cearnadha 
extends  from  Beal  atha  na  n-idheadh  to 
Bealach  Breachmhaighe.  Beal  easa  is  the 
present  Irish  name  of  the  little  town  of 
Foxford,  on  the  river  Moy,  in  the  barony 
of  Gall  en,  and  county  of  Mayo  ;  it  is  not 
now  considered  to  be  in  the  territory  of 


247 

Into  Carllaidhe  of  CuiF  na  g-cneadh, 

I  shall  proceed  to  describe  it, 

Cuil  Cernogha  of  the  knotty  hazles, 

Not  unhappy  are  those  in  whom  it  is  hereditary. 
Four  chieftains  are  in  this  upper  country, 

In  Callraidhe  of  beautiful  fruit-trees, 

A  festive  party  who  have  entered  into  our  catalogue, 

It  is  proper  to  name  the  noble  youths. 
Ma  Cuinn^  and  O'Rothlainn''  the  ready, 

O'h-Iarmain'  of  dreadful  arms, 

Who  injures  the  choicest  of  the  foreigners, 

And  O'FinainJ,  a  great  sheltering  tree. 
[From  Bel  easa''  of  the  clear  cataracts. 

The  extent  of  the  country  which  was  not  oppressed. 

To  the  Brosnach'  of  impetuous  current, 

Which 


Coolcarney,  and  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  it  never  was,  and  that  Coolcarney 
never  extended  farther  to  the  south  than 
Beal  atha  na  n-idheadh,  on  the  Yellow 
Eiver,  which  lies  about  a  mile  north  of 
Foxford.  This  quatrain  is,  however,  also 
found  in  a  more  modern  hand  in  the  Book 
of  Lecan,  fol.  85,  as  if  quoted  from  a  poem 
composed  in  the  year  1302,  and  it  has 
been,  therefore,  here  inserted  in  the  text ; 
but  with  this  caution  to  the  reader,  that 
it  seems  to  be  most  probably  spurious,  not 
only  from  the  inaccuracies  already  noticed, 
but  also  because  it  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  original  text  of  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
which  was  compiled  by  the  author  of  the 
poem  himself. 


'  The  Brosnach  of  impetuous  current 

This  river,  which  is  remarkable  for  its 
mountain  torrents,  rises  in  the  townland 
of  Cloonkeelaun,  in  the  parish  of  Castle- 
conor,  on  the  boundary  between  the  ba- 
rony of  Tireragh,  in  the  county  of  Sligo, 
and  the  barony  of  Gallen  in  that  of  Mayo, 
and  after  flowing  for  a  short  distance  in  a 
northern  direction,  it  turns  to  the  south- 
west, and  takes  a  circmtous  course  through 
the  parish  of  Castleconor  and  that  part  of 
Kilmore-Moy,  which  lies  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river  Moy,  and  pays  its  tribute  to 
the  Moy  at  Bunree,  a  short  distance  to  the 
north  of  the  town  of  Ballina See  Ord- 
nance Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  29,  &c.  It  may 
be  remarked  here,  that  in  the  prose  account 


248 


pap  cobpam  ceann  Caljiaije. 

puaiji  O'Caeman,  ip  cuip  51II, 
6  UhuaiTYi  t)d  bot)ap  blaic  bmo, 
t)'a  n-r>e6in  ip  pedpp  an  aicnii, 
CO  5^Goip,  cent)  na  Clann  TTlaicni 

TTlac  Cailleacan  na  clep  n-di6, 
penmo  ndp  50b  o  ^al^l-sctib, 
cpiar  Cdipn  00  copain  a  blaD, 
a  lopam  aipm  ip  ip^al. 

puQip  O'Coinl  na  C0I5  nocr, 
baili  li-l  Coinl  le  cp6t)ocr, 
bpugam  map  h-e  noco  n-uil, 
cpe  nfp  cubaiD  'na  comaip. 

Q5  O'TTIocaine  an  beoil  bmt). 
baili  h-1  TTlocaine,  mamim, 
pocait)!  Do  cair  a  cpao, 
maich  li-l  TTlocaine  moprap. 


prefixed  to  this  poem  the  northern  limit 
of  Cuil  Cearnadha  is  stated  to  be  Bealach 
Breachmhaighe  ;  but  though  there  would 
appear  to  be  a  discrepancy  here  between 
the  two  accounts,  they  are  not  very  difie- 
rent  in  this  particular,  as  the  townland 
of  Breachmhagh,  anglice  Breaghwy,  or 
BreaiFy,  extends  very  close  to  the  river 
Brosuach. 

■^  Which  defends  the  head  ofCalraighe 

In  an  extract  from  another  poem,  given  in 
a  modern  hand  m  the  Book  of  Lecan,  this 
line  reads  tDo  copain  ceann  Callpaiji, 
i.  e.  which  forms  a  (northern)  boundary 
and  a  natural  defence  to  the  territory. 

°   CCaomhain,   now  Kavanagh See 


TTluc 

p.  no,  Note  f. 

°  Tuaim  da  bhodhar,  now  Toomore,  near 

Foxford See  p.  242,  Note  ",  supra^  and 

Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Mayo, 
sheet  61. 

P  Gleoir,  now  the  river  Leafony,  in  the 
barony  of  Tireragh See  p.  242,  Note  °. 

'^  The  head  of  the  tribe The  language 

of  this  quatrain  is  very  much  transposed, 
and  it  is  impossible  to  translate  it  into  in- 
telligible English  without  inverting  the 
order  of  the  lines.  The  natural  order  is 
as  folloAvs  : 

"  The  head  of  the  tribe  of  O'Caomhain 
(Whose  sept  are  best  when  acting  by  their  own 
will), 


249 

Which  defends  the  head  of  Cakaighe""]. 
O'Caomhain", —  it  is  cause  of  gain, — obtained 

The  tract  from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar"  of  flowery  hills 

(His  tribe  are  best  when  acting  by  their  own  will), 

To  Gleoir",  the  head  of  the  tribe^ 
Mac  Cailleachain''  of  valorous  feats, 

A  hero  who  fled  not  from  foreign  javelins 

Is  chief  of  Carn^  whose  fame  he  defended 

By  the  valour  of  his  arms  and  conflict. 
O'Coitil  of  the  naked  weapons  got 

Baile  Ui  Choitir  by  his  valour, 

A  Brughaidh  like  him  there  exists  not. 

Clay  is  not  fit  before  him". 
To  O'Mochaine  of  the  sweet  mouth 

Belongs  Baile  Ui  Mhochaine"",  I  boast, 

Hosts  have  consumed  his  cattle. 

The  goodness  of  O'Mochaine  is  exalted. 

Muc 

Obtained  the  tract  from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar  of      Bliaile  Ui    Clioitil    O'Dowd,  wlio   became 

flowery  hills  chief  of  his  name  in  the  year  1447 See 

To  Gleoir.     It  is  a  cause  of  gain."  j-g^  ^f  ^^^  ^j^-gfg  ^f  ^^^  O'Dowd  family  to- 

''  Mac  Cailleachain,  obsolete,  or  changed  wards  the  end  of  this  volume,   and  the 

to  Callaghan.  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Sligo, 

*  Cam,  now  Cams,  a  townland  in  the  sheet  22.     The  name  O'Coitil  is  now  an- 

south  of  the  parish  of  Castleconor,  in  the  glicised  Cottle,  and  is  still  in  the  district. 

barony  of  Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo.  "  Clay  is  not  Jit  before  him,  i.  e.  an  inert 

The  river  Brosnach,  already  mentioned  in  man,  without  warlike  fire,  is  not  fit  to 

Note  •,  p.  247,  flows  between  it  and  the  stand  before  him  in  battle ;  a  very  strange 

townland  of  Cloonkeelaun,   which  is   on  metaphor, 

the  verge  of  the  county.  ^  Baile  Ui  Mhochaine,  now  Ballymogh- 

^  Baile   Ui  Choitil,    i.  e.   the  town  or  any,  in  the  same  parish  of  Castleconor. — 

townland  of  O'Coitil,  now  Cottlestown,  in  See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Sligo, 

the  parish  of  Castleconor,  in  which  are  the  sheet  16.     The  name  O'Mochaine  is  now 

ruins  of  a  castle,    erected  by  Domhnall  either  extinct  or  changed  to  Mohan. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2  K 


250 

TTluc  t>ub  If  a  6e]ir]iac  bldich 
puaiji  O'pioinD,  ap  cuip  conaic, 
cujiaiD  naji  cldich  yie  cuibi 
bpu^aiD  blctiu  na  bepcpai^i. 

O'h-lmaip,  nd|i  cpuait)  jie  cleiji, 
6  Cecan  an  puinD  poiO  jieiD, 
peap  t)iii5mdla  ^ac  ouine, 
an  binO  nrialla  bdpp-bumi. 

TTlullac  pdcha  na  poD  caem 

puaip  OXoingpeacdn  lann  cael, 
ponn  map  gel-ponn  TTliDi  amach, 
peapann  pine  o'lb  pinacpac. 

Puaip  O'Spelan  na  ppop  n-6ip 
Coillin  QeOa,  cpar  nnoil, 
pluaj  nocap  peD  a  paipe, 
bet)  a  luat)  pe  lec-baile. 


Pdirh 


^  Muc  dubh,  i.  e.  the  black  pig,  now  an- 
glicised Muckduff,  which  is  the  name  of  a 
townland  in  the  north  of  the  parish  of  Cas- 
tleconor,  adjoining  Bartragh.  — See  Ord- 
nance Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 6.  In  the  south 
of  this  townland  is  shown  the  grave  of  the 
Black  Pig,  a  Avonderful  magical  animal, 
from  which  the  townland  is  believed  to 
have  taken  its  name. 

^  Beartrach,  called  in  the  Book  of  Ar- 
magh Bertrigia,  now  Bartragh,  a  sandy 
island  in  the  north-west  of  the  parish  of 
Castleconor,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
Moy,  at  its  mouth.  The  word  beapcpac 
is  understood  all  round  the  coasts  of  Con- 
uaught,  where  the  word   largely  enters 


into  the  topographical  names,  to  designate 
an  oyster  bank,  and  the  Editor  is  ac- 
quainted with  a  learned  etymologist  who 
is  convinced  that  the  word  is  compounded 
of  biop,  water,  and  coppac,  fruitful. 

y  G'Floinn,  anglicised  O'Flynn.  There 
are  various  families  of  the  name,  of  dif- 
ferent races,  in  Ireland.  The  name  is 
made  up  of  O',  nepos,  or  descendant,  and 
pioinn,  the  genitive  form  of  piann,  the 
name  of  their  progenitor. 

^  G'h-Imhair. — This  name  is  anglicised 
Ivers  in  some  parts  of  Ireland,  and  some 
have  changed  it  to  Howard.  It  is  formed 
of  O',  nepos,  and  Imhair,  the  genitive  of 
Imhar,  a  man's  name,   which    the   Irish 


251 

Muc  dubli"'  and  the  flowery  Beartracli'' 

O'Floinn^  obtained,  it  is  cause  of  wealth, 

A  hero  not  weak  to  be  opposed, 

The  flowery  Briighaidh  of  Beartrach. 
O'h-Imhair^,  who  was  not  penurious  to  the  clergy, 

Is  of  Leacan''  of  the  smooth-sodded  land, 

A  man  worthy  of  every  man, 

The  melodious  yellow-haired  chieftain. 
Mullach  ratha^  of  the  fair  roads, 

O'Loingseachain*^  of  the  slender  swords  obtained 

A  soil  like  the  fair  soil  of  Meath  throughout 

The  land  of  a  sept  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach. 
O'Spelan'^  of  the  golden  spurs  obtained 

Coillin^  Aedha  at  the  time  of  the  meeting, 

His  host  cannot  be  watched, 

Pity  to  mention  him  as  possessing  only  a  half  townland. 

Rath 

borrowed  from  the  Danes,  among  whom  parish  of  Easkey,   and  to  the  north   of 

it  was  written  Ivor,  Ifars.  Lackan See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County 

^  Leacan,    now   Lackan   or   Lecan,    a  of  Sligo,  sheets  lo  and  ii. 

townland  on  the  east  side  of  KUlala  bay,  •=   0'' Loingseachain,   now   obsolete.     In 

in  the  parish  of  Kilglass,  in  the  barony  of  the  north  of  Ireland  this  name  is  anglicised 

Tireragh,  and  county  of  Sligo — See  Ord-  Lynch. 

nance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 6.    This  place  ^  G^Spelan,  recte  O'Spealain.  This  name 

afterwards  belonged  to  the  Mac  Firbises,  is  more  common  in  other  parts  of  Ireland 

the  hereditary  antiquaries  of  the  district,  than   in   this   district.     It   is   anglicised 

as  we  have  already  seen  p.  i68.  Spillaan  and  Spillaine. 

*>  Mullach  RatJia,  i.  e.  hill  or  summit  of  ®  Coillin  Aedha,  now  the  large  townland 

the   rath   or   earthen   fort.     It  is  called  of  Culleen,  in  the  parish  of  KUglass,  and 

lochtar  ratha  in  the  prose  list.     These  barony  of  Tireragh.     The  river  anciently 

names  are  now  obsolete,  but  there  can  be  called  Gleoir  runs  through  the  middle  of 

little  doubt  that  they  were  alias  names  of     this  townland See  Ordnance  Map,  sheet 

the  townland  of  Eathlee,  situated  in  the  17. 

2  K  2 


252 


T?dich  bejican  ay  bldirh  peaoa, 
peapann  a  ppich  pin-pleat)a, 
puaip  O'Pualaiji^  pleDa  an  puinD, 
lep  c]iuao  aipc  Cepa  in  comluint). 

Cill  painoli  na  in-ba]i|i  m-bo^ 
ag  O'biieiplen  puaip  popmao, 
Opem  can  oafpe,  can  oolao 
'cap  b-pepp  aibi  olloman. 

CuiO  li-l  Conaccan  cepna 

t)on  7T1U10  paipping  oipeoa, — 
pumc  cac  coll  Do'n  ciipi, — 
ponn  cpurac  Cabpaigi. 

Oa  jabpaD  cenD  uaip  eli 
peoan  oo'n  peim  pigpoiDi, 
Clann  Neill  ap  peapann  na  peap, 
nem-pann  6'n  pein  a  n-aipeam. 

Uapla  o'd  cell  can  col 

Clanna  Neill  na  plej;  pebrhap 
ocup  Clann  Cliaeman  calma 
na  cpann  cael-bdn  carapba. 


TTlapbrap 


f  Eatk  Berchain,  i.  e.  arx  Berchani.  This 
name  is  now  obsolete,  and  no  clue  lias 
been  discovered  to  determine  the  situation 
of  the  place. 

8  0''Fualairg,  now  entirely  obsolete. 

^  cm  Faindle,  now  Killanley,  a  town- 
land  containing  the  ruins  of  an  old  church, 
from  which  it  received  its  name,  situated 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river  Moy,  in  the 

parish    of   Castleconor See    Ordnance 

Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  22. 


'  G'Breshn.  —  The  O'Breslens  of  this 
race  are  to  be  distinguished  from  those  of 
Tirconnell,  who  were  a  far  more  distin- 
guished family. 

J  O'Connachtaii's,  now  Connaughtan,  but 
the  name  is  very  scarce. 

^  Each  hazel  is  rich  from  the  hero. — The 
meaning  is,  not  that  he  was  a  good  gar- 
dener, but  that  his  worthiness  caused  the 
fruit  trees  to  be  fertile.  This  affords 
another  example  of  the  value  set  by  the 


^53 


Kath  Berchan*^  of  flowery  woods 

Is  a  land  in  whicli  wine  banquets  are  found, 
O'Fualairg^  obtained  the  banquets  of  that  soil, 
By  whom  warhke  Cera  was  sore  plundered. 

Cill  Fainnle"  of  the  soft  crops 

Is  O'Breslens'  who  experienced  envy. 

His  people  are  without  oppression  or  detriment, 

With  whom  the  happiness  of  the  Ollamhs  was  best. 

The  victorious  O'Connachtan's^  portion 
Of  the  wide  famous  plain, — 
Each  hazel  is  rich  from  the  hero", — 
Is  the  beautiful  land  of  Cabrach'. 

At  one  time,  by  force, 

A  sept  of  the  regal  lineage, 

The  Clann  Neill™,  seized  upon  the  land  of  these  men; 

Not  feeble  from  the  heroes  was  their  reckoning". 

They  met  each  other  without  blemish, 
The  Clann  Neill  of  expert  lances 
And  the  brave  Clann  Caemhain 
Of  the  slender- white  warlike  spear-shafts 


ancient  Irish  upon  the  fruit  of  the  hazel 
trea 

'  Cabrack,  now  Cabragh,  a  townland 
lying  on  the  east  side  of  Killala  bay,  in 
the  parish  of  Easkey,  in  the  barony  of 

Tireragh See  Ordnance  Map   of  Sligo, 

sheets  i  o  and  1 1 . 

™  The  Clann  Neill. — These  were  a  sept 
of  the  O'Dowds,  who  descended  from  Niall, 
son  of  Niall,  son  of  Maoileachlain,  son  of 
Maolruanaidg,  son  of  Aodh  O'Dubhda, 
King  of  North  Connaught,  who  died  in  the 


Muircheartach 

year  983.  They  are  here  called  of  the  regal 
lineage,  because  the  family  of  O'Dubhda 
became  the  hereditary  chiefs  or  princes  of 
all  north  Hy-Fiachrach.  The  attempt  of 
ihe  Clann  Neill  O'Dubhda  to  wrest  this 
territory  from  the  O'Keewans  was  contrary 
to  a  solemn  compact  entered  into  at  an 
early  period  between  the  two  families. 

n  Not  feeble,  ^x.  —  Duald  Mac  Firbis 
gives  this  line  thus  ; — Mearii-ponn  o'n 
p^n  a  n-a  n-aipeam. 


254 

irna]ibrap  TTluipceapcac,  mac  Neill, 
ocuf  O'Caemdn  cneip  peio 
pa  ceann  an  cfpi  p  rep, 
t>o'n  lim  pi  ap  pepp  D'aipmep. 

'Ciagait)  CO  cpen  pa  celai^ 

Clanna  Caeman  copp-plegai^ 

rap  nepu  na  h-aicmi  eli, 

cpe  nepc  caipci  ip  cacai^che. 

puaip  O'Caemdn  na  C0I5  n-^lap, 
Saip  S^pebainD  na  p]ieb  polap, 
ponn  bldic  caeb-poUip  map  ruino, 
pdic  na  n-ael-t)opup  n-dlamD, 
'na  pope  comnaiDi  t)'d  clomn, 
5opc  ap  coll-buit)i  canuim. 

O  ^leoip,  ndp  ^ab  6  '^all-^aib, 
CO  h-lapca  an  puinD  aball  bdm, 
'c  O'TTIailmuin  t)aca  m-blaD, 
placa  'pci  n-ufo  pe  h-ollam. 

puaip  O'Ruapac  na  puaj;  mep 
Cia  con  inneom  na  n-aigeaD, 


00 


"  Muircheartach  Mac  Neill. — See  an  ac-  '^  Sais  Sgreabkainn.  —  Tliis  is  the  form 

count  of  this  already  given  in  pp.  113,169.  of  the  name  given  in  both  copies  of  the 

P  By  strength  of  charter Charter  here  poem,  though  in  the  prose  account  of  the 

alludes  to  the  compact  made  between  families  and  estates  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  pre- 
Dubhda  and  Caomhan,  the  progenitors  of  fixed  to  this  poem,  it  is  called  Saighin 
the  families  of  O'Dowd  and  O'Keewan,  by  Uisge  tar  abhainn,  otherwise  Inis  Sgreabh- 
which  Caomhan  and  his  representative  ainn,  and  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
was  to  possess  for  ever  the  tract  extending  ters  and  other  authorities  Eiscir  abhann  ! 
from  Tuaim  da  bhodhar  to  the  river  Gle-  It  is  now  anglicised  Inishcrone,  and  is  the 
oir.  For  an  account  of  this  compact  the  name  of  a  small  village  near  which  are  the 
reader  is  referred  back  to  pages  109,  139.  ruins  of  a  castle  on  the  east  side  of  Killala 


^55 

Muircheartach  Mac  Neill°  is  slain 

And  O'Caemhain  of  the  smooth  skin, 

In  a  contest  for  this  southern  tract, 

By  these  tribes,  the  best  I  have  mentioned. 
Then  mightily  entered  on  the  land 

The  Clann  Caemhain  of  sharp  spears, 

Beyond  the  strength  of  the  other  sept, 

By  strength  of  charter''  and  conflict. 
O'Caomhain  of  the  green  swords  obtained 

Sais  Sgrebhainn''  of  the  bright  streams, 

A  flowery  land  bright-sided  as  the  wave, 

Fort  of  the  splendid  lime-doors^ 

As  the  mansion  seat  of  his  race 

The  hazel-yellowest  field  I  sing  of 
From  Gleoir,  which  was  not  won  by  foreign  javelins. 

To  lasca'  of  the  land  of  the  white-blossomed  apple  trees, 

Belongs  to  the  O'Mailduins'  of  high  renown. 

Scions  who  respect  the  oUamh. 
O'Ruarach"  of  the  rapid  onsets  got 

Lia  Con",  the  support  of  the  strangers, 

For 

bay,  in  the  parish  of  KOglass,  and  barony  '  O^Mailduins This    family   is   now 

of  Tireragh — See  Ordnance  Map,  sheet  1 6.  nearly  extinct  in  Tireragh.     The  name  is 

■■  Lime-doors,  i.  e   white- washed  with  anglicised  Muldoon,  but  this  fiimily  is  to 

lime,  or  perhaps  buUt  of  lime-stone.  be  distinguished  from  the   O'Muldoons, 

*  lasca,  now  the  river  Easkey,  which  chiefs  of  the  territory  of  Lurg,    in   the 

rises  in  Lough  Easkey,  on  the  confines  of  north  of  Fermanagh,  who  are  still  nume- 

the  baronies  of  Tireragh  and  Leyny,  and,  rous. 

flowing  in  a  northern  direction,  discharges  "  OPRuarach,  now  obsolete, 

itself  into  the  sea  a  short  distance  to  the  '  Lia  con,  written  Cia  con,  by  Duald 

north  of  the  village  of  Easkey,  which  has  Mac  Firbis.     There  is  no  townland  or  lo- 

derived  its  name  from  it.  cality  in  Tireragh  at  present  bearing  this 


256 

t)o  cdc  pa  cenD  a  rojiat), 

par  ap  peapp  o'a  abnaolaD. 
Uujjup,  pa  calma  an  cupi 

O'Peinoeaoa,  an  pianumi, 

CO  Pin^iD  CO  cldp  na  each, 

ap  nach  inn^iD  Dam  oimoach. 
C[p  n-t)fc  h-1  pheinoeaoa  ann, 

puaip  O'piann^aili  in  peapann, 

ponn  mfn  'nac  amipeit)  pe  ap, 

map  rip  claiD-pem  na  Cpiiacan. 
Imlec  fpill  m  peoip  cuipp 

'c  OTDailiDviin,  map  oeaphuim, 

pope  met)ac  Do  rfp  'pDo  rumn, 

min  an  uealac  co  rojpuim. 
Co  TTliiippci  DuinD  'n  a  Dejaio 

6  lapca  an  pumD  ei^neDai^, 

h-1  Conbumi  ap  cenD  Don  car 

cenn  a  cupi  '^dp  cumcac. 

OXuacdn 

name,  unless  Leafony  be  a  corruption  of  places  in  the  parish  of  Templeboy,  in  the 

it,  which,   however  (as  will  be  seen),   is  barony  of  Tireragh,  where  they  are  caUed 

written  Liathmhuine  in  Irish.  Flannellys  of  the  Lough.    There  are  a  few 

^  O'Feinneadha,  now  anglicised  Feeny.  of  them  in  the  parish  of  Easkey  too,  but 

There  are  a  few  poor  families  of  this  name  they  are  all  said  to  have  come  thither 

still  in  the  parish  of  Easkey,  but  none  on  from  the  Lough,  in  the  parish  of  Temble- 

their  own  original  townland.  boy. 

""  Finghid,  now  Finned,  a  townland  ex-  ^  Not  rugged  for  tillage.  —Written  by 
tending  northwards  to  the  sea,  in  the  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  ponn  mtn  nac  aim- 
parish  of  Easkey,  in  Tireragh,  and  lying  peo  pe  a  dp,  which  is  the  better  reading, 
westwards  of  the  river  Finned.  The  word  ap  is  still  used  in  this  part  of 
y  O'Flannghaile,  now  anglicised  Flan-  Ireland  to  denote  tillage.  It  seems  cog- 
nelly,  without  the  prefix  O'.  This  family  nate  with  the  Latin  verb  aro,  to  plough, 
is  very  numerous  in  Aughros  and  other  "  Imleach  Isil.  _  This  was  the  ancient 


257 

For  all  its  produce  is  abundant, 

Which  is  the  best  cause  for  praising  it. 
I  have  brought, — brave  the  hero, — 

O'Feinneadha"',  the  soldier, 

To  Finghid"",  the  plain  of  the  battles, 

From  which  the  bards  depart  not  displeased. 
After  the  extermination  of  O'Feinneadha  there, 

O'Flannghaile^  obtained  the  land, 

A  smooth  soil,  not  rugged  for  tillage"^, 

Like  the  smooth-mounded  land  of  Cruachan. 
Imleach  Isil*  of  the  smooth  grass 

Belongs  to  O'Mailduin,  as  I  certify, 

A  mede-abounding  seat  by  sea  and  land. 

So  that  I  love  the  surface  of  the  land. 
To  Muirsce^  let  us  go  after  it. 

From  the  lasca  of  the  salmon-abounding  soil 

The  O'Conbhuidhes''  are  the  head  of  the  tribe. 

Powerful  is  the  host  protecting  us. 

O'Luachain 

name  of  the  townland  of  Castletown,  in  key,  eastwards,  to  the  stream  which  flows 
which  are  the  ruins  of  a  castle,  situated  into  the  sea  between  the  townlands  of 
on  the  west  of  the  river  Easkey,  near  its  Ballyeeskeen  and  Dunnacoy.  —  See  Ord- 
mouth,  in  the  parish  of  Easkey.  The  nance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 2.  The  ex- 
name  Imleach  Isil,  i.  e.  the  low  imleach,  tent  of  this  district  cannot  be  mistaken, 
or  land  verging  on  the  water,  is  now  lo-  for  it  comprised,  according  to  this  poem, 
cally  forgotten,  but  the  name  is  fortunately  the  townlands  of  Eosslee,  Cloonnagleav- 
preserved  on  the  Down  Survey  of  the  ragh,  Alternan,  Dunaltan,  Ballykilcash, 
County  of  Sligo.  This  was  the  mansion  Dunbeakin,  Dunneill,  and  Ballyeeskeen, 
seat  of  O'Muldoon,  petty  chief  of  the  tract  all  lying  between  the  rivers  above  men- 
of  land  lying  between  the  rivers  Gleoir  tioned,  as  will  be  seen  by  reference  to  the 
and  Easkey.  Ordnance  Map  of  the  barony  of  Tireragh. 

''  Muirsce This  name,  which  signifies  <=   0''Conbhuidhes,  now  anglicised  Con- 

"  sea-plain,"  extended  from  the  river  Eas-  ways,  Conmys,  and  Conwys,  are  still  nu- 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2  L 


258 


O'Cuacan  na  lann  cana 

a|i  cctc  'na  cent)  coTYijiaTYia, 

6  "Roy^  Lae-g  na  caeTii  cjiann  cuipp, 

y'aep-clann  00  paem  cac  ip^uil. 

Cluain  na  cliabac  na  call  cuipp, 
Qlc  phapannain  co  pepcaib, 
'c  O'Rochldn  nap  cpuaiO  am  cpoD, 
ag  TTioc-Ddil  buaip  a  bibboD. 

Qp  Dun  TTlaelDuib  na  Tn-bpug  m-bldir, 
'n  a  bpujait)  calma  conaic, 
O'Ouibpcuili,  pciaTYit)a  a  fcop, 
lapla  na  n-uili  bpu^ao. 

puaip  O'beolldn,  nap  ep  peap, 


Oil 


un 


merous  in  the  parish  of  Easky,  in  Tire- 
ragli. 

^  O'Luachain This  name  is  now  lo- 
cally corrupted  to  O'Luachair,  and  trans- 
lated Rush,  which  is  the  name  the  family 
now  wish  to  be  called  by.  It  is  so  trans- 
lated from  an  erroneous  belief  that  it  is 
derived  from  luacaip,  rushes,  for  which 
there  is  not  the  slightest  authority. 

^  Ros  laegh,  now  Eosslee,  a  townland  in 
the  parish  of  Easkey,  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river  Easkey,  at  its  mouth,  which  se- 
parates it  from  Emlagheeshal,  or  Castle- 
town. It  contains  the  ruins  of  a  castle 
said  to  have  been  built  by  the  family  of 

O'Dowd See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo, 

sheet  12. 

^  Cluain  na  g-diabhach,  called  in  the 
prose  list  Cluain  na  g-cliabhrach,  which 
is  the  name  it  bears  in  Irish  at  the  present 


day.  It  is  anglicised  Cloonagleavragh, 
and  is  applied  to  a  townland  in  the  parish 
of  Easkey,  extending  along  the  river 
Easkey,  on  the  east  side.  It  forms  a  por- 
tion of  the  demesne  of  Portland,  the  seat 
of  R.  Jones,  Esq.,  which  extends  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  Easkey. 

f  Alt  Fharannain,  i.  e.  St.  Farannan's 
alt,  cliff,  or  height,  now  anglicised  Alter- 
nan,  the  name  of  a  townland  containing  a 
holy  well,  called  Dabhach  Fharannain,  i.  e. 
St.  Farannan's  vat  or  keeve  (hence  "  the 
miraculous"  in  the  text),  in  the  east  of 
the  parish  of  Easkey,  and  adjoining  the 
parish  of  Templeboy.  Duald  Mac  Firbis 
states,  in  the  prose  list  already  given,  that 
O'Rothlain  had  possessed  Cluain  na  g-clia- 
bhach  and  Alt  Farannain,  until  the  family 
of  O'Maonaigh,  or  O'Meeny,  deprived  them 
of  these   lands  by  an   act   of  treachery. 


259 


O'Luadiain*"  of  the  thin  sword-hlsides 
Over  all  is  the  active  head 
At  Ros  laegh'*  of  the  fair  smooth  shafts, 
A  noble  clan  who  sustained  each  conj9.ict. 

Cluain  na  g-cliabhach^  of  the  smooth  hazles, 
Alt  Fharannain^,  the  miraculous, 
Belong  to  O'Rothlain^,  not  penurious  of  cattle, 
Who  freely  distributes  the  cattle  of  his  enemies. 

Over  Dun  Mailduibh''  of  the  flowery  seats. 
As  a  brave  and  afiluent  Brughaidh, 
Is  O'Duibhscuile',  beautifid  his  stud, 
The  Earl  of  all  the  Brughaidhs'"' ! 

O'BeoUain^,  who  refused  no  man,  obtained 


Dun 


which  he  was  unwilling  to  record,  and  it 
is  remarkable  that  there  are  four  town- 
lands  called  Baile  Ui  Mhaonaigh,  anglice 
Ballymeeny,  i.  e.  O'Meeny's  town,  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  Alternan. 

s  O'Botklain,  now  always  anglicised 
Eowley,  though  Eollan,  or  even  Rollin, 
would  be  a  much  more  analogical  form  in 
English.  There  are  persons  of  the  name 
living  in  the  parish  of  Kilmacshalgan  and 
Dromard,  in  the  barony  of  Tireragh. 

^  Dun  Mailduibh,  i.  e.  dun  or  fort  of 
Maeldubh,  who  was  the  son  of  Fiachra 
Ealgach,  the  son  of  King  Dathi,  and  the 
ancestor  of  the  O'Dowds.  This  name  is  now 
obsolete,  but  it  is  supposed  to  have  been 
the  ancient  name  of  the  townland  of  Rath 
maol, — (said  to  have  been  anciently  called 
Eathmailduibh,  which  is  synonimous  with 
Dun  Mailduibh) — situated  in  the  parish  of 

2L 


Easkey,  south-west  of  the  village  of  Eas- 
key,  and  west  of  the  demesne  of  Portland, 
which  this  townland  originally  comprised, 
and  which  derived  its  name  from  it. 

*    G' Dubhscuile This    name,    which 

might  be  anglicised  Duscooley,  or  Dus- 
cully,  is  now  either  entirely  obsolete  or 
shortened  to  Scully. 

*■  The  Earl  of  all  the  Brughaidhs,  i.  e. 
the  most  distinguished  of  all  the  farmers. 
Earl  was  the  highest  title  in  use  among 
the  English  in  Ireland  when  this  poem 
was  composed. 

J  G'Beollain This  name  is  still  very 

numerous  in  Tireragh,  and  always  angli- 
cised Boland,  which  is  not  very  incorrect, 
though  the  d  must  be  considered  foreign 
to  the  name.  This  family  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  the  O'BeoUains  of  Thomond, 
who  are  of  a  different  race. 
2 


26o 


Dun  Ullrdn  ip  dpD  inbeap, 

an  bjiujaiD  'cd  labjia  linD, 

cu]iaiD  calnia  o'd  cpemino. 
puaiji  a  ainm  o'n  baili  bldir 

bjiu^aiD  pa  calma  caem-pdir, 

TTlac  ^illacaip  na  call  cuip, 

can  banD  ap  aif  o'n  ijijail. 
O  Dun  TTi-becin  na  Tn-b]iu5  m-bdn 

ITIe^  eogain,  ip  Clann  Chuandn, 

od  bpu^aio  'pcf  pdic  pebaig 

pa  uulai5  bldiuh  buain-pleDai^. 
puaip  O'Dipcm,  ndp  Diulc  Dam, 

an  baili  uat)  co  h-impldn, 

ponn  'cd  ainmnea^at)  &r]  peap, 

t>'dp  cafTYi  leabap-coll  cneip  ^eal, 
Puaip  O'ConbuiDi  ap  luD  lint), 

na  relai^  paippin^  aibinD, 

Dun 

anciently  possessed,  namely,  Baile  Mhic 
Giollachais,  now  anglicised  correctly 
enough,  Ballykilcasli.  It  is  situated  in 
the  north  of  the  parish  of  Kilmacshalgan, 

in  the  barony  of  Tireragh See  Ordnance 

Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  12.  The  fair  and 
strong  rath  referred  to  in  the  text  still 
remains,  but  it  is  not  remarkable  for  its 
extent,  it  having  been  the  enclosure  round 
the  house  of  a  brughaidh,  or  farmer,  not 
the  residence  of  a  chieftain. 

°  Dun  m-becin,  i.  e.  Becin's  dun  or 
fort.  It  is  called  Dunmekin  in  the  old 
map  already  referred  to,  preserved  in  State 
Paper  Office,  London ;  and  is  now  always 
written  Dunbeakin.     It  is  the  name  of  a 


*  Dun  Ultain,  i.  e.  Ultan's  dun,  or  fort, 
now  anglicised  Doonaltan.  It  is  the  name 
of  a  townland  containing  the  remains  of  a 
fort,  situated  on  the  coast  in  the  north  of 

the  parish  of  Templeboy,  in  Tireragh 

See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Sligo, 
sheets  1 1  and  12. 

">  Deep  river  mouth — The  allusion  here 
is  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ballymeeny  river, 
which  discharges  itself  into  the  sea  be- 
tween the  townlands  of  Alternan,  which 
is  on  the  west,  and  Doonaltan,  which  is  on 
the  east  side. 

"  Mac  Gillachais.  —  This  name  is  now 
obsolete  as  applied  to  a  family,  but  it  is  re- 
tained in  that  of  the  townland  which  they 


26l 

Dun  Ultain'  of  the  deep  river  mouth"*, 

The  Brughaidh  who  is  mentioned  by  us 

Is  a  brave  hero,  whom  I  trust. 
His  name  from  the  fair  townland  he  has  received 

A  Brughaidh  of  fair  and  strong  rath  (fort), 

Mac  Gillachais"  of  the  smooth  hazels, 

Who  never  slunk  back  from  the  conflict. 
Of  Dun  m-becin°  of  the  white  edifices 

Are  the  Mag  Eoghains''  and  the  Clann  Cuanan, 

Two  Brughaidhs  in  the  happy  rath"* 

On  the  flowery,  constantly  festive  hill. 
O'Discin"",  who  refused  not  the  learned,  got 

The  townland  from  him  called,  entirely 

The  land  is  named  from  the  man 

For  whom  the  fair- skinned  hazel  grows  fair  and  large. 
O'Conbhuidhe',  who  is  dear  to  us,  obtained 

A  wide  and  beauteous  land. 

Dun 

townland  situated  in  the  parish  of  Kil-  '^  Happy  rath — This  place,  Eath  Cua- 
macshalgan,  in  Tireragh.  The  ruins  of  the  nain,  is  still  well  known,  and  is  a  town- 
fort  of  Dun  Becin  still  remain,  situated  land  in  the  parish  of  Kilmacshalgan,  in  the 

on  the  west  bank  of  a  river  of  the  same  barony  of  Tireragh See  Ordnance  Map 

name  which  flows  through  the  townland —  of  the  County  of  Sligo,  sheets  1 7  and  1 8. 
See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  18.  '  O'Discin.— This  name  is  now  obsolete 
P  Mac  Eoghains,  anglice  Mackeon,  but  as  applied  to  a  family,  but  is  retained  in 
should  be  properly  Mac  Owen.  There  the  name  of  the  townland  which  was  called 
are  a  few  of  the  name  still  in  the  district,  after  the  family,  viz.,  Baile  Ui  Dhiscin, 
This  name  is  to  be  distinguished  from  now  anglicised  Ballyeeskeen.  It  is  a  town- 
Mac  Eoin,  of  the  Glynns,  in  the  county  of  land  in  the  north  of  the  parish  of  Temple- 
Antrim,  which  is  a  clan  name  of  the  boy,  in  Tireragh. — See  Ordnance  Map  of 
Byssets  of  Scotland,  who  took  that  name  Sligo,  sheet  1 2. 

from  Eoin,  or  John  Bysset,  their  ances-         *    OP  Conbhuidhe,    now    Conway See 

tor.  ^     .  p-  170,  Note  k 


262 


Oiin  Meill,  ly^  niam-glan  an  ponn, 
ap  leip  'nap  jiia^laD  poTnam. 

UpiallaTTi  6  ITluippci  meaoai^ 

CO  boppai^  Tti-bldich  m-bileaDai^, 
can  upcpaoa  ap  lach  an  pip, 
O'TTIupcaDa  a  cpiar  caipi5. 

O'Suiblep^a,  O'Cuan  cafn, 
O  OuncaDa  puaip  apO-afb, 
Oiin  h-1  Chobuaic  ponn  na  pep, 
a^  ap  pocpaiD  ponn  paep  pleg. 

puaip  O'Colmdn,  calma  an  clium, 
m  ^pdinpec  mop,  pope  pdopai^, 
an  ^pdmpec  bee,  buaoa  an  ball, 
ceD  '5  O'puala  'p^tn  peapann. 


puaip 


•^  Dun  Neill,  i.  e.  the  fort  of  Niall,  who, 
according  to  the  prose  list  already  given, 
was  the  son  of  Cubuidhe,  the  progenitor 
of  the  family  of  O'Conbhuidhe.  It  is  now 
correctly  anglicised  Dunneill,  and  is  the 
name  of  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 
macshalgan,  in  Tireragh,  containing  the 
remains  of  a  dun,  or  earthen  fort,  situated 
on  the  east  side  of  a  river  of  the  same 
name  which  flows  through  the  townland. 
— See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of 
Sligo,  sheets  12  and  18. 

"  MuirscL — The  most  eastern  townland 
in  this  district  is  Ballyeeskeen,  and  it  was 
divided  from  the  adjoining  territory  of 
Borrach  by  Ath  cliath  Muirsci,  a  ford  on 
the  stream  which  falls  into  the  sea  be- 
tween the  townlands  of  Carrowmacrory 


and  Doonycoy,  in  the  parish  of  Temple- 
boy,  and  barony  of  Tireragh. 

^  Borrach.  —  The  situation  of  this  dis- 
trict of  Borrach,  which  derived  its  name 
from  a  river,  cannot  be  mistaken,  as  the 
following  townlands  were  in  it,  viz.,  Doo- 
nycoy, Grangemore,  Grangebeg,  Ard- 
okelly,  Corcagh,  and  Dunflin,  which  retain 
their  ancient  names  to  this  day,  and  the 
situations  of  which  will  go  very  far  towards 
fixing,  not  only  the  position,  but  the  ex- 
tent of  the  territory  of  Borrach  here  men- 
tioned. 

"'  OfMurchadlia^  now  anglicised  Mur- 

^  G' Luidhlearga,  now  entirely  obsolete. 

^  G'Cuain,  now  anglicised  Coyne  and 

Cooney,  but  the  name  is  very  scarce  in 


263 


Dun  Neiir,  soil  of  bright  aspect, 
It  is  plain  in  our  rule  before  us. 

Let  us  pass  from  the  mede-abounding  Muirsci" 
To  Borrach""  the  flowery,  arborous, 
There  is  no  misfortune  over  the  land  of  the  man, 
O'Murchadha''  is  its  lordly  chieftain. 

O'Suidhlearga'',  O'Cuain^  the  comely, 
O'Dunchadha^  who  enjoyed  dehght. 
Dun  Ui  Chobhthaigh''  is  the  land  of  the  men 
With  whom  a  stand  of  noble  spears  is  placed. 

O'Colman"  has  a  brave  share  obtained, 
Grainseach  mor^,  the  seat  of  Patrick, 
Of  Grainseach  beag'*,  victorious  the  spot, 
O'Fuala^  has  liberty  in  the  land. 


O'Ceallaigh 


the  district. 

G'Donnchadha  would  be  anglicised 
Donoglioe,  or  Donaghy,  but  the  name  is 
not  to  be  found  in  the  district. 

*  Dun  Ui  Chobhthaigh,  i.  e.  O'CoiFey's 
fort,  now  anglicised  Doonycoy,  a  townland 
verging  on  the  coast  in  the  north  of  the 
parish  of  Templeboy,  in  the  barony  of 
Tireragh.  It  adjoins  the  territory  of 
Muirsci,  and  still  contains  the  remains  of 
the  ancient  dun,  or  fort,  originally  called 
Dun  Ui  Chobhthaigh,  which  is  shown  on 
the  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 2,  as 
in  the  north  of  the  townland,  and  thirty- 
eight  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

''  GfColman,  now  Coleman.  There  are 
some  persons  of  the  name  in  the  parish  of 
Templeboy,   in   Tireragh,   but    none    in 


Grainseach  nior  at  present. 

^  Grainseach  mor,  i.  e.  the  large  Grange, 
or  farm,  now  Grangemore,  a  well  known 
townland  in  the  parish  of  Templeboy,  in 

the  barony  of  Tireragh See  Ordnance 

Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 8.  The  old  map  in 
the  State  Paper  Office,  already  referred 
to,  shows  a  castle,  or  large  dwelling-house, 
and  a  small  village  at  "  Grangemoor," 
nearly  due  east  of  Dunmekin. 

^  Grainseaxli  beag,  i.  e.  the  Little  Grange, 
now  Grangebeg,  in  the  same  parish.  This 
is  also  shown  as  a  castle,  or  residence,  on 
the  old  map  above  referred  to,  but  not 
exactly  in  its  proper  place. 

^  QPFuala This  name  is  not  in  the 

district.  It  is  not  the  name  anglicised 
Foley  in  other  parts  of  Ireland. 


264 


puaip  O'Ceallai^  na  ple^  j^eini 
Ct|it)  O'Ceallai^  pe  caiujieiTn, 
C115  d6  na  pine  t)  a  puil ; 
cld|i  maji  ITli'oi  pd  niaepaib. 

OXom^pi^  na  lann  leabuiji 
6'n  Copcaig  can  cuiDeaOai^, 
na  ploi^  a  coimt)!  an  cuipi, 
015111  coip  na  Co]icai5i. 

Dun  LoinD  nap,  lamat)  do  lem 
piiaip  O'lTiupchaDa  maij  pern, 
bpu5  plair-^eal  ip  paep  pnaiDi, 
diupeb  na  cpaeb  cubpaiDi. 

O  boppai^  nap  a^-loic  afp 

rpiallam  co  Updi^  can  cauafp 


<■  Ard  O^g-Ceallaigh,  i.  e.  altitudo  nepo- 
tum  Cellachi,  now  anglicised  Ardogelly, 
or  Ardokelly,  -wliicli  is  the  name  of  a 
townland  in  the  north  of  the  parish  of 
Templeboy.  There  are  persons  of  the 
name  O'Ceallaigh,  anglice  O'Kelly,  still 
in  this  neighbourhood.  They  are  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  O'Kellys  of  Hy- 
Many,  who  are  of  a  different  race. 

8  O'Loingsigh.  —  This  name,  which  is 
made  Lynchy  and  Lynch  in  most  parts  of     ing  through  this  townland.     This  is  the 


t)a 

the  sea,  in  the  north    of  the   parish    of 

Templeboy See  Ordnance  Map  of  the 

County  of  Sligo,  sheets  12  and  13. 

'  Dun  Floinn,  i.  e.  the  dun  or  fort  of 
Flann,  now  Dunflin,  a  townland  in  the 
parish  of  Skreen,  in  the  barony  of  Tire- 
ragh — See  Ordnance  Map,  sheet  18.  It 
is  now  divided  into  two  parts,  in  the  more 
northern  of  which  the  dun  or  fort  is  situ- 
ated on  the  west  side  of  a  little  river  flow- 


Ireland,  is  not  now  to  be  found  in  this 
neighbourhood  ;  but  it  is  highly  probable 
that  the  name  has  been  corrupted  to  Ma 
Gloinsg,  which  still  remains. 

^  Corcach This  townland  has  since 

been  divided  into  two  parts,  of  which  the 
larger  is  called  Corcachmor,  and  the 
smaller  Corcachbeg,  and  is  situated  near 


place  where  Duald  Mac  Firbis  was  mur- 
dered in  the  year  1670,  four  years  after 
the  death  of  his  friend  and  patron  Sir 
James  "Ware. 

J  O' Murchadka,  now  anglicised  Murphy ; 
but  this  family  is  to  be  distinguished  from 
the  O'Murphys,  chiefs  of  Hy-Felimy,  in 
the  county  of  Carlo w. 


2^5 


O'Ceallaigh  of  smooth  lances  obtained 

Ard  O'g-Ceallaigli*'  with  triumph, 

He  transmitted  the  valour  of  the  tribe  to  his  posterity, 

A  plain  like  Meath  is  under  his  stewards. 
O'Loingsigh^  of  large  blades 

Is  at  Corcach''  without  a  rival, 

Hosts  protect  the  hero. 

The  lawful  heir  of  Corcach. 
Dun  Floinn',  which  none  durst  invade, 

O'Murchadha^  of  the  smooth  plain  obtained, 

A  white-wattled  edifice''  of  noble  polish, 

Habitation  of  the  sweet-scented  branches. 
From  Borrach\  which  was  not  wounded  by  a  satire™. 

Let  us  proceed  to  the  strand"  without  reproach. 


^  White-wattled  edifice This  shows  that 

O'Miirchadha  lived  in  a  wooden  house. 

^  Borrach This  was  unquestionably 

the  name  of  a  river  from  which  the  dis- 
trict lying  to  the  west  of  it  received  its 
name  ;  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  it  was 
originally  the  name  of  the  stream  which 
rises  in  the  townland  of  Farranyharpy,  in 
the  south-west  of  the  parish  of  Skreen, 
and  flowing  nearly  in  a  due  northern  di- 
rection, falls  into  the  sea  at  the  south- 
east boundary  of  the  townland  of  Aughris, 
in  the  north  of  the  parish  of  Templeboy. 
The  only  objection  that  can  be  urged 
against  this  conclusion  is,  that  a  portion 
of  the  lands  of  Corcach,  which  were  in  the 
district  of  Borrach,  extends  eastwards  of 
this  stream,  but  this  is  not  enough  to 
prove  it  false,   as  the  greater  portion  of 


To 

Corcaghmore  is  west  of  this  river,  as 
well  as  all  the  other  lands  mentioned  as 
forming  the  district  of  Borrach.  The  re- 
maining part  of  the  territory  of  Tire- 
ragh,  lying  between  this  stream  and  the 
strand  of  Traigh  Eothaile,  was  called  the 
district  of  the  strand.  The  extent  of  this 
district  cannot  be  mistaken,  as  the  names 
of  almost  all  the  lands  mentioned  as  situ- 
ated in  it  are  still  retained,  as  will  appear 
from  the  notes  next  to  be  given. 

"^  Which  was  not  wounded  hy  a  satire — 
It  was  believed  by  the  ancient  Irish  that 
a  satire  would  afflict  men  with  disease, 
destroy  the  fertility  of  rivers,  and  wither 
the  grass  and  green  corn-fields. 

"^  The  strand,  i.  e.  the  strand  of  Traigh 
Eothaile,  near  Tonrego,  already  often  al- 
luded to. 


lEISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12. 


2M 


266 


tia  puip^iy^a  a^  uaim  an  puint) 
puaiji  0'rniiip;5upa  niolainn. 

O'SinDa  na  ple^  pona 

puaip  Larpac  map  Idn  poj;a, 
pai'pe  nd  ['en-ponn  Sooairi, 
peapann  nafoi  nua-ropaio. 

'Cpiallam,  cop  ab  pen  popaio, 
cup  an  dicpeb  n-eplamait) 
t)peni  t)'dp  t)iall  caoup  ip  cdin, 
rpiall  CO  h-dpnp  Qoomndin. 

Cpobum^  ap  coip  t)o  ciinna 
'pci  Scpfn  acd  a  upen  pulla, 


m 


"  0''Muirgheasa This  name  is  now  an- 
glicised Morrissy,  and  is  found  in  most 
parts  of  Ireland,  the  surest  proof  that 
there  were  many  distinct  septs  of  the 
name. 

P  CSinna,  now  anglicised  Fox.  The 
name  is  still  in  the  district,  but  this  fa- 
mily is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the 
Foxes  of  Teffia,  who  were  a  far  more 
famous  family. 

'I  Lathrach,  now  Laragh,  a  well  known 
townland  near  the  sea,  in  the  parish  of 
Skreen,  in  Tireragh — See  Ordnance  Map 
of  Sligo,  sheets  12  and  13.  The  old  map 
in  the  State  Paper  Office,  already  often 
referred  to,  calls  this  place  Larras,  and 
shows  it  as  a  castle  situated  near  the  coast, 
midway  between  "Ardnaglasse"  and  "Ca: 
Aghares,"  which  is  its  true  position,  or, 
at  least,  correct  enough  for  a  rude  sketch 
map  such  as  the  one  alluded  to,  and  almost 


every  other  map  of  Ireland  constructed 
previously  to  the  Down  Survey  of  Ire- 
land, unquestionably  were.  It  is  said  that 
the  castle  of  Larragh  stood  on  the  division 
of  land  now  called  Carrowcaslan,  which 
Avas  originally  but  a  subdivision  of  Laragh, 
though  now  considered  a  distinct  town- 
land. 

■■  Sodhan This,  as  the  Editor  has  al- 
ready shown  in  the  Tract  on  the  territory 
of  Hy- Many  (p.  159),  was  the  ancient  name 
of  O'Mainnin's  country,  in  the  barony  of 
Tiaquin,  and  county  of  Galway.  The  an- 
cient Irish  poets  were  well  acquainted 
with  the  fertile  and  beautiful  districts  of 
Ireland,  and  we  find  them  constantly  com- 
paring such  places  as  they  wished  to  cele- 
brate for  their  beauty  or  fertility  with 
the  plain  of  Croghan,  in  Connaught;  the 
plain  of  Meath  ;  the  rich  lands  of  Moin- 
moy,  round  Loughrea,  in  the  county  of 


To  await  them  at  the  cave  of  tlie  land, 

0'Muirglieasa°,  whom  I  praise,  obtained  it. 
O'Sinna^  of  the  successful  spears 

Obtained  Lathrach'*  as  his  full  choice, 

It  is  nobler  than  the  old  land  of  Sodhan*", 

A  fresh  land  of  fruitful  produce. 
Let  us  pass,  may  it  be  a  felicitous  tour, 

To  the  habitation  of  the  Patron, 

To  a  people  to  whom  honour  and  tribute  have  submitted, 

Let  us  pass  to  the  habitation  of  St.  Adamnan'. 
A  tribe  which  ought  to  be  recorded 

In  Serin  is  their  mighty  roll  [charter], 


Galway ;  the   plain   of  the   Liffey ;    the 
plain  of  Magli  Ailbhe,  &c. 

s  The  habitation  of  St.  Adamnan,  i.  e. 
the  church  of  Screen,  Avhich  was  originally 
erected  by  St.  Adamnan,  or,  as  they  call 
him  there  at  present,  St.  Awnan.  At  Ea- 
phoe,  of  which  he  is  also  the  patron,  he  is 
called  St.  Eunan,  and  at  Erigal,  in  the 
county  of  Londonderry,  he  is  styled  St. 
Onan.  He  is  the  celebrated  Adamnan, 
abbot  of  lona,  who  wrote  the  Life  of  St. 
Columbkille,  and  is  styled  by  his  co- 
temporary  Bede,  "  vir  bonus  et  sapiens, 
et  scientia  Scripturarum  nobilissime  in- 
structus." 

'  Serin,  called  by  Colgan  Serin  Adam- 
nain,  i.  e.  Scrinium  Sancti  Adamnani,  now 
Skreen,  an  old  church  giving  name  to  a 
townland  and  parish  in  the  barony  of  Ti- 
reragh.  This  place  was  originally  called 
Cnoc  na  Maoili,  and  was  granted  by  Tip- 

2 


raide,  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  to  St. 
Columbkille.  It  derived  its  present  name 
from  a  shrine  of  St.  Adamnan,  erected 
here  some  time  afterwards.  For  the  situ- 
ation of  the  old  church  of  Skreen  the 
reader  is  referred  to  Colgan's  Acta  Sanc- 
torum, p.  340,  Note  42,  where  he  has 
the  following  notice  of  the  church: — 
"  Est  Ecclesia  multorum  reliquiis  nobilis 
et  veneranda  Dioecesis  Kil-aladen,  in  regi- 
one  de  Tir  Fhiachrach,  de  qua  vide  plui'a 
in  notis  ad  vitam  S.  Adamnani,  ubi  dabi- 
mus  catalogum  reliquiarum  in  illo  scrinio 
reconditarum."  But  unfortunately  he 
never  published  the  life  of  this  great  saint. 
See  also  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  19. 
Near  it  is  a  holy  well  dedicated  to  St. 
Adamnan,  and  not  far  to  the  south  is  the 
celebrated  hill  of  Mullach  Kuadha,  more 
anciently  called  Cnoc  na  Maoile,  which 
Avas  the  name  of  this  place  in  St.  Columb- 
M  2 


268 

ni  puiceab  t)amTia  oo'n  Djioin^, 
cui^eap  calma  Oo'n  cpobuing, 

TTle^  RoDan,  h-1  Oilmic  ann, 
TTlec  Concarpac  na  comann 
O'SneDapna  o'ap  ^lall  ^ail, 
r\\6r]  Damna  ag  Diall  pe  Durai^, 
pa  molcaip  a  ri-^mm  ^]'a  n-gail 
t)ib  li-l  Rabapcait)  pachmaip. 

Cluain  li-l  Chop5paiD  na  call  cuip, 
peapann  ndp  ^ab  6  ^allaib, 
O'baechgaili  puaip  a'  ponn 
lep  cpuaill  aenaigi  ecrpann. 

TTlec  ^illipmt)  na  n-apm  n-jep, 
petian  t)o  biarat)  bpamen, 
6'n  (^enriai^,  a  laib  lebpa 
peDain  c-pafp  po-t)ealba. 


TTlec 


kille's  time. — See  Colgan,  Vit.  s,  Faranni,  ^  Mac  Concathrach There  are  persons 

c.  8,  aa.  ss.  p-  337.)    For  the  various  names  of  this  name  living  in  the  parish  of  Tem- 

of  this  hill,  and  the  historical  recollections  pleboy,  in  Tireragh,  but  they  are  begin- 

connected  with  it  see  pp.  96,  97,  supra,  ning  to  anglicise  the  name  to  Mac  Car  rick. 

For  some  notices  of  Serin  Adamnain  see  The  name  is  formed  by  prefixing  mac. 

Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  years  filius,  fitz,  to  Concathrach,  the  genitive  of 

830,  1022,  1030,  1395.     At  the  last  year  the  name  of  the  progenitor  Cucathrach, 

the  death  of  O'Flannelly,  vicar  of  Serin  i.  e.  the  hero  of  the  cathair,  or  fort. 

Adamnain,  is  recorded.  ^  0''Snedarna,  now  entirely  obsolete. 

"  Mag  Rodan,  now  obsolete.  ^  O'' Rahhartaighs.  —  There   are   a   few 

^  G'h-Oilmhic,  pronounced  O'Helwick,  persons    of    this    name   (which    is    now 

or  O'Helvick.    This  name  is  not  found  in  spelt   O'EafFerty)    still   in   the  parish  of 

the  district.  The  townland  of  Altanelvick,  Skreen.    Duald  Mac  Firbis  states,  in  the 

in  the  parish  of  Drumard,  to  the  south-  prose  list  already  given,  p.  173,  that  there 

east  of  Skreen,  was  called  after  this  family,  were  a  few  of  the  O'Rabhartaighs  in  his  own 

— See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 9.  time,  but  entirely  stripped  of  their  posses- 


269 

I  sliall  not  omit  a  representative  of  the  people ; 

Five  brave  men  of  the  cluster  are  these  that  follow. 
Mag  Roclan",  O'h-Oilmic",  are  there, 

Mac  Concathrach"^  of  friends, 

O'Snedarna'',  to  whom  valour  gave  a  hostage, 

A  mighty  representative  clinging  to  an  inheritance ; 

Their  deed  and  their  valour  are  praised, 

Of  them  are  the  prosperous  O'Rabhartaighs^. 
Cluain  Ui  Chosgraidh^  of  the  smooth  hazels, 

A  land  not  won  by  the  strangers, 

O'Baethghaile''  obtained  that  land 

By  whom  the  meetings  of  foreigners  were  stained. 
The  Mac  Gilli  Finns"  of  sharp  weapons, 

A  sept  who  used  to  supply  food  to  the  ravens^ 

Are  in  Leamhacl/,  and  in  poetical  books^ 

A  noble  comely-faced  people. 


The 


sions  by  the  Scotcli  settlers.  There  was 
another  family  of  this  name  in  Tirconnell, 
■who  built  a  castle  on  Tory  Island,  off  the 
north  coast  of  the  county  of  Donegal,  and 
another  in  Meath,  where  the  name  is  still 
numerous. 

2  Cluain  Ui  Chosgraidh. — This  name  is 
now  forgotten,  and  nothing  remains  to 
point  out  its  situation  in  the  parish.  It 
Avas  evidently  the  name  of  a  Ballybetagh, 
or  large  ancient  Irish  townland,  and  com- 
prised several  of  the  modern  denomina- 
tions. 

^  C Baethghaile,  would  be  anglicised 
Beahilly,  but  the  name  is  not  to  be  found 
in  the  district  at  present. 

"  Mac  Gillifinns — Now  obsolete. 


•=  To  supply  food  to  the  ravens,  i.  e.  by 
giving  them  human  carcasses  to  feed  upon. 
This  is  intended  as  a  high  compliment 
to  their  warlike  character. 

^  Leamhach,  now  Lavagh,  a  townland 
in  the  parish  of  Dromard,  lying  to  the 
south-west  of  Longford  demesne,  in  Tire- 

ragh See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet 

1 9.  In  some  parts  of  Ireland  this  name  is 
understood  to  mean  land  of  elms,  in  others, 
land  abounding  in  the  herb  marsh  mal- 
lows. 

^  And  in  poetical  books;  i.  e.  they,  them- 
selves, are  to  be  found  in  the  townland  of 
Leamhach,  and  their  deeds  are  to  be  found 
celebrated  in  poetical  books. 


270 

niec  S^^^i  bpicin  can  beim, 
pet)an  pa  cpooa  cairpeiTYi, 
6  Qjit)  na  ^lay,  t)elbt)a  an  Dpem, 
pet)na  t)a  clap  co  coiccheanO. 

TTiec  ^i^^iTTiip  ^'^^V  ^™^^  ^™ 
puaip  pmnabaip  na  pmn-cldp, 
bjuigait)  ap  ceoaib  t)o  cuip, 
t>o  Tnet>ai5  culai^  Uuacliail. 

TTlec  ^illi  piabai^  co  pach, 
O'  Cpican  na  pao  puncac, 
mop  a  TTieDaip  \a  menma 
pa  relai^  a  ci^eapna. 

TTiume  na  peoi  na  plet) 

'c  OXiardn  ap  dpo  ai^neo, 
peap  pa  calma  pe  cneaooib 
a  re^  at)ba  t)'pileat>aib. 

Cuil  Cilli  bpicm  can  bpoio, 
peapann  nac  pacaiD  namoio, 


rriec 


f  Mac  Gilli  Bricins,  obsolete.  tlie  ruins  of  this  great  castle  are  sliown, 

s  Ardna  n-glass,  i.e.  altitudo  caienarum.  in  the  north-west  of  the  townland  of  Ar- 

This  place  is  shown  on  the  old  map  already  dabrone. 

referred  to,  preserved  in  the  State  Paper         ^  Mac  GiIIh7iir.—T:his  name  is  still  in 

Office,  London,  as  a  large  castle  situated  the   district,    but   anglicised   Gilmer,    or 

near  the  coast,  and  nearly  midway  between  Gillmor,  which  is  not  an  incorrect  form 

the  castle  of  Larras  and  the  castle  of  Bonin.  of  it  in  English. 

The  name  is  still  well  known  in  Tireragh,  "'  Finnabhair.  —  This  place  is  still  well 

and  is  that  of  a  large  castle,  situated  in  known    in    Tireragh,    where   it   is   now 

the   townland   of  Ardnaglass,    otherwise  always  anglicised  Finnure.    It  is  the  name 

Ardabrone,  in  the  parish  of  Skreen,  and  of  a  townland  extending  to  the  sea  coast, 

barony  of  Tireragh.  —  See  Ordnance  Map  in  the  north  of  the  parish  of  Skreen. 
of  the  County  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 3,  on  which         J  The  hill  of  Tuathal,  i.  e.  Tara,  the  seat 


271 

The  Mac  Gilli  Bricins^  without  reproach, 

A  tribe  of  brave  career 

At  Ard  na  n-glass^,  comely  the  race, 

Tribes  have  heard  it  universally. 
Mac  Gillimir",  who  refused  not  the  learned, 

Obtained  Finnabhair'  of  the  fair  plains, 

A  Brughaidh  who  opposed  himdreds. 

Who  exalted  the  hill  of  TuathaP'. 
Mac  Gilli  riabhaigh"  with  prosperity, 

Is  of  Crichan'  of  the  swift  hounds, 

Great  his  mirth  and  his  mind 

On  the  lands  of  his  lord. 
Muine  na  fede""  of  banquets 

Belongs  to  O'Liathain"  of  high  mind, 

A  man  who  is  brave  in  wounding  conflicts. 

Whose  house  is  a  residence  for  poets. 
Of  Cuil  Cille  Bricin°  without  bondage, 

A  land  which  enemies  have  not  seen, 

Mac 

of  the  monarch    Tuathal.     By  this   ex-  of  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Dromard, 

pression  the  poet  means  simply  "  who  is  in  the  east  of  the  barony  of  Tireragh. — 

an  honour  to  the  royal  ragged  race  of  See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheet  19. 

Tara."  '^  G'Liathain This  name,  which  is  an- 

^  Mac  Gilli  riabhaigh,  now  Kilrea  ;  and  glicised  Lyons  in  the  county  of  Cork,  is 

in  some  parts  of  Ireland  it  is  anglicised  obsolete  in  this  district. 

Mac  Urea.  °  Cuil  Cille   Bricin This    name    is 

^  Of  Crichan,  now  Creaghaun,  a  town-  now  shortened  to  Ceathramh  Bricin,  and 

land  in  the  parish  of  Skreen,  in  Tireragh.  anglicised  Carrowbrickeen,  which  is  the 

"^  Muine  nafede,  called  Bun  fede  in  the  name  of  a  townland  in  the  parish  of  Dro- 

prose  list  already  given,  and  Bun  na  fede  mard,  in  the  north-east  of  the  barony  of 

at  the  present  day  by  the  native  Irish.  It  Tireragh. — See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo, 

is  anglicised  Bunnafeddia,  and  is  the  name  sheet  13. 


272 


TTiec  Conluain  '5a  labpa  linn 
calma  t)o  cliuaio  o  comocino. 

Uy  na  jiemup  na  poo  ce, 
peayiann  ay  dilb  uiyci, 
TTlec  ^i^libdm  puaip  a'  ponn, 
00  cait)  CO  cpumo  h-i  comlanO 

O'OumchinD  ip  cepc  cuma, 
bpu^ait)  t)o  biar  eccpanna, 
Doipi  na  n-Qch,  ponn  na  pep, 
pa  na  ^nduh  cac  coll  cno-^el. 

"Con  pe  ^6,  pa'n  uoiprec  ronn, 
peapann  dipnet)  ip  uball, 
'c  O'Qeoa  ndp  eici^  cleip, 
cpaeba  nac  ceilrep  caichpeim. 

Qcdic  pd'n  cuaich  do  tyioI  me 
t)d  uafpech  ip  cenn  rpepi, 
mop  t)o  caemam  a  clepa, 
O'lTlaenais  'p  O'muiii^epa. 


P  Mac  Conluain This  name  still  re- 
mains in  the  district,  but  is  rather  incor- 
rectly anglicised  Mac  Colwan. 

•^  Lis  na  remhur,  i.  e.  arx  crassorum. — 
This  place  is  still  well  known  by  this  very 
name,  which  is  correctly  anglicised  Lisna- 
rawer.  It  is  a  townland  containing  the 
remains  of  several  Uses  or  forts,  in  the 
parish  of  Dromard  in  Tireragh.  It  is 
shown  on  the  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County 
of  Sligo,  sheet  19,  as  lying  immediately 
to  the  west  of  Tonrego. 

•■  Mac  Gilli  bhain This  name  is  still 

in  this  neighbourhood,  but  always  made 


Lip 

White  in  English,  that  being  considered 
a  translation  of  Gilla  ban,  which  means  a 
white  youth.  In  Scotland  the  same  name  is 
anglicised  Mac  Ilwane,  incorrectly  for  Mac 
Gilwane. 

*  0'' Duinchinn,  now  unknown  in  Tire- 
ragh. 

^  Doire  na  n-ath,  i.  e,  the  oak  wood  of 
the  fords,  roboretum  vadorum.  This  name 
is  now  entirely  lost ;  it  must  have  been 
applied  to  a  Ballybetagh,  or  large  Irish 
townland,  near  Tonrego.  It  is  useless 
to  speculate  on  its  exact  situation,  as  no 
trace  of  the  name  has  been  preserved  by 


Mac  Conluain^  is  mentioned  by  us 

Who  bravely  went  beyond  emulation. 
Lis  na  remur''  of  hot  roads, 

A  land  of  beautiful  water, 

Mac  Gilli  bhain'  obtained  the  land, 

Who  vigorously  entered  the  conflict. 
O'Duinchinn'  of  just  condition, 

A  brughaidh  who  feeds  the  strangers, 

Doire  na  n-ath'  is  the  land  of  his  men 

On  which  every  fair-nutted  hazel  is  constantly  found. 
Ton  re  go"",  where  the  wave  is  fruitful, 

Land  of  sloes  and  apples, 

Belongs  to  0'h-Aodha\  who  refused  not  the  literati, 

Branches  whose  triumph  is  not  concealed. 
There  are  upon  the  land  which  I  have  praised 

Two  chiefs  of  powerful  sway. 

Whose  feats  have  protected  many, 

O'Maenaigh^  and  O'Mukgheasa^. 

Lis 

tradition,  on  the  Down  Survey,  or  on  any  Tonregee,  and  Tonlegeetli ;  but  there  is 

other  old  map  accessible  to  the  Editor.  no  other  Ton  re  go  in  Ireland  except  that 

"  Ton  re  go.—Thx^  strange  name,  which  here  mentioned,  although  there  are  many 

was  originally  that  of  a  hill  facing  the  sea,  places  whose  situation  would  entitle  them 

may  be  correctly  translated  j»o(/ea;  ad  mare,  to  such  a  name. 

It  is  still  preserved,  and  correctly  angli-         '  O'k-Aod/ia,  now  made  Hayes,  Hughes, 

cised  Tonrego.     It  is  now  the  name  of  a  &c.,  as  already  often  remarked, 
townland  containing  the  house  and  de-  ^  OWaonaigk,  now  anglicised  Meeny 

mesne  of  Colonel  Irwin,  in  the  east  of  the  in  this  neighbourhood,   though  in  other 

parish  of  Dromard,  in  the  barony  of  Tire-  parts  of  Ireland  it  is  rendered  Mainy  and 

ragh,  and  adjoining  the  celebrated  strand  even  Mooney. 

of  Traigh  Eothaile.  There  are  many  town-         ^  0' Muirgheasa.  —  This  name  is  angli- 

lands  in  Ireland  called  Ton  re  gaoith,  i.  e.  cised  Morissy  in  most  parts  of  Ireland,  but 

podex  ad  ventum,   anglicised  Tandragee,  the  Editor  is  informed  that  it  is  rendered 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12.                                  2  N 


274 


Cif  Cao^aill  pd'n  copcpa  cpaeb, 

puaip  O'TTluip^epa,  an  Tnacaem, 

baili  puijic  na  cuari  clioip 

pdna  luan  ^inpu  ^emoip. 
Puaip  O'Duncaoa  na  n-t)dm 

CO  glaip  builiD  na  m-bpatidn, 

cac  leabap  t)a  labpa  linO 

TTiap  ole^ap  uapba  a  cuipTmni. 
"Cpiallam  a  Caipppi  na  cac 

pd^am  an  ponn  pa  O  piacpach, 

labpam  co  luach  ap  each  leacli, 

cabpam  cac  cuacli  t)'d  cafpeach, 
Cabpam  co  pern  t)'d  pf^pait), 

t)'lb  niaeilcluichi  an  caeinn  ^nimpaio, 

na  li-aip^m  6  lb  Neill  anoip 

16  pein  Chaipppi  na  comaio. 
Puaip  O'Scanail  an  beoil  bmo 

16  cpepi  an  cfpe  cuipbini, 

ponn 

river,  the  mouth  of  which  is  the  boundary 
between  the  country  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach 
and  the  territory  of  Carbury,  which  ori- 
ginally belonged  to  the  descendants  of 
Cairbre,  the  son  of  the  monarch  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages  ;  but  as  O'Dowd  had 
extended  his  dominion,  by  conquest,  over 
that  tract  of  Carbury  extending  from  the 


Morrison  in  this  part  of  Ireland.    Such  is 
the  whim  of  custom  ! 

"I  Lis  Ladhghuill.  —  This  name,  which 
would  be  anglicised  Lislyle,  is  now  for- 
gotten, and  the  Editor,  after  the  most 
patient  research  and  correspondence,  has 
not  been  able  to  fix  its  locality,  which  he 
regrets  exceedingly. 


2  O'Dunchadha,  made  Donaghy,  Dun-     great  strand  of  Traigh  Eothaile  to  the 


phy,  Donohoe,  &c.,  in  other  parts  of  Ire- 
land, but  the  name  is  obsolete  in  Tire- 
ragh. 

*  Beauteous  stream  of  salmons The 

stream  here  alluded  to  is  the  Ballysadare 


river  Codhnach,   at  Drumcliff,  the  poet 
feels  it  his  duty  to  describe  the  people  of 
this  district  also,  though  he  acknowledges 
that  they  are  not  of  the  race  of  Fiachra. 
^  G' Mailcluithi,  written  by  Duald  Mac 


Lis  LadligliailF,  where  the  branch  is  purple, 

The  youth  O'Muirghesa  obtained 

The  head  seat  of  the  eastern  district, 

Where  the  corn-fields  are  quick  of  growth. 
O'Dunchadha^  of  the  learned  men  obtained. 

As  far  as  the  beauteous  stream  of  salmons^. 

Every  book  that  speaks  to  us, 

As  it  behoveth  advantage  I  mention. 
Let  us  pass  into  Cairbre  of  the  battles. 

Let  us  leave  this  soil  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach, 

Let  us  speak  quickly  of  every  side, 

Let  us  give  each  district  to  its  chieftain. 
Let  us  speak  quietly  of  their  kings, 

Of  the  O'Mailcluithis'  of  the  becoming  deeds, 

0/the  plunders  from  the  Hy-Niall  in  the  east. 

To  the  heroes  of  Cairbre  belong  these  acquisitions. 
O'Scannaill'  of  the  sweet  mouth  obtained. 

By  sway  of  the  land  we  mention, 

Firbis  U i  ITIaoilcluice.    This  name  is  still  of  the  family  by  the  English  word  Stone, 

common  in  Carbury,  but  now  metamor-  and  this  has  been  adopted  by  the  whole 

phosed  into  Stone  by  a  strange  process  of  sept  as  their  name  in  English.    An  island 

transformation.     Maelcluithi  signifies  the  close  to  the  land  in  the  bay  of  Sligo,  which 

youth  of  the  gscme,  juvenis  ludi  seu  certa-  is  named  after  this  family,  is  called,  on 

minis,    and   might    have   been   correctly  the  old  map  of  these  coasts,  already  often 

enough  englished  Gamble ;  but  the  poor  referred  to,   Enish   O'Molcloigh,  and  on 

people  of  Carbury,  who  are,  in  those  de-  the  Ordnance  Map,  sheet  14,  Inishmul- 

generate  days,  very  bad  gamblers  and  worse  clohy,  which  is  intended  to  represent  the 

etymologists,  are  of  opinion  that  cluithi,  the  Irish  1  n  ip  U 1  TTIhaoilclu  ire . 

latter  part  of  this  name,  is  an  oblique  form  "=  QScannail,  now  anglicised  Scanlan. 

of  doc,  a  stone,  not  of  cluici,  a  game,  and  The  name  exists  in  the  parish  of  Calry, 

so,  without  any  further  investigation  of  near  the  town  of  Sligo. 
the  subject,  they  have  translated  the  name 

2  N  2 


276 


ponn  TTifn  ay  paippin^i  ap 

t)o  cfp  ^laif  beinoi  ^"^bctn. 
Callpami  Cairnn  na  lann 

O'NuaDan  puaip  a  peapann, 

ponn  bpaenac  ^ammiDi  ^lan, 

aenac  amgliDi,  foan, 
puaip  O'Ciapoa  ropao  cpom 

t)o  epic  Chaipppi,  ni  celam, 

o'  0'Ciappt)a  na  m-bapp  m-buiDi 

nfp  namoa  cpann  ciibpaiDi. 
Oa  cum  point)i  6  piacpac  pein 

epic  Caipppi  na  eldp  coimpeiD, 

t)'lb 


^  Beinn  Gulban,  now  Binbulbin,  a  con- 
spicuous mountain  in  the  parish  of  Drum- 
cliff,  to  the  north  of  the  town  of  Sligo. 
The  plain  between  it  and  the  sea,  called 
Machaire  Eahba,  is  remarkable  for  its  fer- 
tility. On  the  old  map  of  these  coasts, 
preserved  in  the  State  Paper  Office,  Lon- 
don, this  mountain  is  called  "  the  high 
hills  of  Benbolbin,  where  yearlie  timbereth 
a  falcon  esteemed  the  hardiest  in  Ireland." 

^  Calraidhe  Laithim This   territory 

was  nearly  co- extensive  with  the  present 
parish  of  Calry,  near  the  town  of  Sligo,  in 
the  barony  of  Carbury. 

f  O'Nuadhain This  name  is  not  to  be 

found  in  this  parish  at  present.  It  would 
be  anglicised  Nuane,  or  Noone. 

s  O'Ciardlm.  —  It  is  very  much  to  be 
suspected  that  GioUa  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis 
is  in  error  here,  for  it  would  appear  from 
the  whole  stream  of  authentic  Irish  history, 
that  O'Ciardha's  Carbury  was  not  in  Con- 


naught.  The  authentic  Irish  Annals 
show  clearly  that  it  was  in  Leinster,  and 
John  Mor  O'Dugan  of  Hy-Many,  who  wrote 
his  celebrated  topographical  poem  about 
half  a  century  earlier  than  Giolla  losa 
Mor  Mac  Firbis,  gives  us  to  understand 
that  O'Ciardha,  chief  of  Carbury,  was  the 
only  chieftain  of  the  blood  of  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages  who  was  seated  in  the 
southern  moiety  of  Ireland,  and  in  the 
province  of  Leinster.  His  words  are  as 
follows  : 

O'Ciapoa  ap  Chaipppe  cliapaij, 
t)'pinea6aib  Neill  Naoijiallai j, 
Ml  pull  ace  lec  pein  rail  roip 
t)o  clannaib  Neill  ap  CaijniB. 
"  O'Ciardha  over  Carbury  of  bands, 
Of  the  race  of  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages  ; 
There  is  not  but  themselves  yon  in  the  east 
Of  the  race  of  Niall  in  Leinster." 

Again,  O'Heerin,  who  wrote  about  the 
same  period  with  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac 


'^11 


A  small  land  of  most  extensive  tillage, 
Of  the  green  land  of  Beinn  Gulban'^. 

Of  Callraidhe  Laitliim^  of  the  swords 
O'Nuadhan*^  obtained  the  land, 
A  droppy,  sandy,  fine  land, 
An  angelic  pure  place  of  meetings. 

O'Ciardha^  obtained  heavy  profit 

Of  the  land  of  Cairbre,  I  conceal  it  not, 

For  O'Ciardha  of  the  yellow  crops 

The  fragrant  tree  was  not  slow  in  bearing, 

Of  the  dividend  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  themselves 
Is  the  land  of  Cairbre  of  the  level  plains, 


Firbis,   speaks  of  O'Ciardha  as   chief  of 
Carbiiry,  in  Leinster.     His  Avords  are  : 

Qp  Chaipbpe  Caijean  na  leapj 
O'Ciapja  na  5-C0I5  plip-oeajij; 
Slac  Qlrhan  ^an  caca  raip 
6ep'  h-aonaD  ca:a  im  Chpuachain. 

"  Over  Carbury  of  Leinster  of  the  plains 
Rules  O'Ciardha  of  the  red-bladed  swords, 
The  scion  of  Almhain,  without  scarcity  in  the 

east, 
By  whom  battles  were  kindled  round  Croghan." 

Here  the  designation  Slat  Almhan,  scion 
of  Allen,  "by  whom  battles  were  kindled 
around  Croghan,"  i.  e.  the  conspicuous 
hill  of  Croghan,  in  the  north  of  O'Conor 
Faly's  country,  in  the  present  King's 
County,  shows  clearly  that  the  Carbury, 
of  which  O'Ciardha  was  chieftain,  was  no 
other  than  the  barony  of  Carbury,  in  the 
county  of  Kildare,  in  Leinster,  which  ex- 
tends   southwards    to   near   the   hill    of 


But 

Almhain,  or  Allen,  and  is  situated  in  the 
southern  half  of  Ireland,  being  south  of 
the  Eiscir  Eiada,  which  extends  from 
Dublin  to  Clonard,  leaving  the  barony  of 
Carbury  to  the  south.  Whether  there 
was  another  O'Ciardha  who  was  chief  of 
Carbury,  in  Sligo,  it  is  but  fair  to  inquire ; 
but  the  Editor  has  not  been  able  to  find 
any  reference  to  a  family  of  the  name,  as 
seated  in  Lower  Connaught,  in  the  au- 
thentic Irish  annals,  and  is  therefore  satis- 
fied that  there  was  none,  and  that  Giolla 
losa  Mor  was  here  dreaming,  as  he  was  in 
making  Tomaltach  Mor  Mac  Dermott  the 
chief  of  Moylurg,  who  first  acquired  the 
territory  of  Clann  Cuain.  The  name 
O'Ciardha,  which  fell  into  obscurity 
centuries  before  the  time  of  Giolla  losa 
Mor,  is  still  numerous  in  the  counties  of 
Kildare  and  Westmeath,  where  the  name 
is  generally  anglicised  Keary,  but  some- 
times Carey,  Avhich  is  incorrect. 


278 


t)'lb  Meill  pineat)ai5  na  peap, 

pelt)  t)'  pileat)aib  a  n-dipem. 
^lO  uapal  pine  na  peap, 

clann  Caipppi  na  m-bpug  m-bldic-^eal, 

pa  maep  na  maicni  pi  c-piap 

paep  an  aicnni  pi  o'n  dipD-piap. 
O  Poba,  ap  patmap  a  peim, 

cugup  CO  cpoDa  an  cdiuhpeinn, 

CO  CoDnai^  ap  cam  uuili 

poonaiD  00  bdpp  bopuime. 
Oenam  iinpo  uap  ap  n-ai]^ 

CO  pigpait)  l?dua  Ouplaip, 

t)o  Denoim  eoil  Do'n  peoain, 

le  cpeoip  n-gle  gloin  n-geinealaig. 
Inao  cairnrn  in  gac  uuaic  cpein 

ploinOpet)  t)o'n  pet)ain  poiD-peiD, 


cenn 


^  Lineage  of  the  men,  i.  e.  though  the 
men  of  Carbnry  are  tributary  to  the  king 
of  the  Hy-Fiachrach,  they  are  not  of  his 
race,  but  of  the  race  of  Cairbre,  son  of 
Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  from  whom 
they  derive  their  name  as  well  as  descent. 

'  Western  people,  i.  e.  the  O'Dowds, 
whose  country  lies  west  of  Carbury. 

J  From  the  Rodhba,  i.  e.  I  have  now  de- 
scribed all  the  tribes  and  districts  in 
O'Dowd's  country,  extending  from  the 
river  Robe  to  the  river  Codhnach,  at 
DrumclifF.  O'Dugan  also,  in  his  celebrated 
topographical  poem,  describing  the  tribes 
and  territories  of  the  northern  moiety  of 
Ireland,  mentions  these  two  rivers  as  the 


limits  of  O'Dowd's  country,  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines  : 

O'Choonai  j  ap  cuaipc  piche, 
Corhapra  na  coigcpice, 
Co  copainn  Rooba,  pe  pao, 
Qp  popba  dluinn  lomldn  ; 
W\  pml  ni  ap  cumja  na  poin 
Q5  0'n-t)uBoa  DO  ouroio. 
Ceirpe  pioja  oeg  oo'n  opumj 
puaip  an  cui^eao  ^an  coiiipoinn, 
Upe  jniorh  coirripeaoma  ip  car, 
t)o  piol  oipeajoa  Piachpach. 
"  From  the  Codhnach  of  gentle  flood, 
The  mark  of  the  boundary, 
To  the  boundary  of  the  Rodba,  to  be  mentioned, 
It  is  a  beauteous  perfect  territory  ; 


279 


But  of  the  Hy-Neill  is  the  lineage  of  the  men'', 

Easy  for  poets  to  enumerate  them. 
Though  noble  the  race  of  the  men, 

The  Clann  Cairbre  of  the  flowery  white  mansions, 

Are  under  the  steward  of  the  western  people', 

Noble  are  their  people  from  this  high  submission. 
From  the  Rodha^  of  prosperous  course 

I  have  bravely  pursued  my  career. 

To  the  Codhnach  of  winding  current, 

Which  serves  the  bovine  crop''. 
Let  us  now  return  back 

To  the  kings  of  the  Rath  Durlais\ 

To  afibrd  knowledge  to  the  race 

By  the  bright  clear  guide  of  genealogy. 
The  place  of  the  banquet"'  in  each  powerful  territory 

I  shall  name  for  the  tribes  of  the  smooth  sod. 

Prominent 

situated  near  Doonycoy,  in  the  north  of 
the  parish  of  Templeboy,  in  Tireragh, 
where  there  are  still  to  be  seen  the  re- 
mains of  a  large  fort ;  but  it  is  strange  to 
find  it  mentioned  so  conspicuously  here, 
as  it  does  not  appear  ever  to  have  been  a 
residence  of  any  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Hy- 
Fiachrach  ;  and  it  is  to  be  suspected  that 
the  poet  here,  by  an  unpardonable  poetical 
license,  alludes  to  Dun  Durlais,  or  Rath 
Durlais,  the  seat  of  Guaire  Aidhne,  king 
of  Connaught  in  the  seventh  century, 
which  is  situated,  as  already  observed,  in 
the  country  of  the  southern  Hy-Fiach- 
rach. 

™  The  place  of  the  banquet,  i.  e.  the  head 
seat  or  residence  of  the  chief. 


There  is  not  a  narrower  region  than  this 

In  O'Dowd's  inheritance. 

Fourteen  kings  of  the  family 

Obtained  the  chief  sway  o/the  province  without 

division. 
By  deeds  of  puissance  and  battle, 
Of  the  illustrious  race  of  Fiachra." 

^  Bovine  crop,  i.  e.  out  of  which  the 
cows  grazing  on  the  adjoining  fields  may 
drink  fresh  water.  6app  bojiu  iiiie  literally 
meaning  crop  of  cows,  is  here  used  to  de- 
note the  cattle  with  which  the  land  was 
stocked.  The  word  bapp,  however,  is 
rather  loosely  used,  as  it  is  properly  ap- 
plied to  grass,  corn,  or  vegetables. 

^  Bath  Durlais This  Avould  seem  to  be 

the  place  called  Rathurlish,  or  Rathurlisk, 


28o 


renn  a  line  cac  lebai]i 

an  Dine  ay  pepp  t)'  ameaDaib. 

Oileac  na  pig  c-piap  'con  cumD, 
OuiTia  Caecan,  map  canuini, 
aibpeac  pcaili  a  n-^opr  n-gemaip, 
od  pliopc  ailli  op  innbe^  aib. 

Qp  cecc  Dam  a  h-lppup  puap 

plomDpeD  dpup  na  n-dpD-plua^, 
Dun  pfne  na  j^o^  ple^acli, 
'con  Dme  mop  muipepach. 

Pair  bpanDuib  ip  pian  para, 
ipDaD  up  mn  dpD-plara, 
'na  popr  comnaiDi  ag  O'CliumD 
^opc  pa'n  mon^-buiDi  mo^uill. 

Loc  Deala  nac  Delam  cpaeb, 

Imp  Cua  na  m-bpec  m-ball-caem, 


°  Oileach  of  the  kings The  poet,  after 

liaving  described  the  tribes  and  territories 
in  the  country  of  O'Dowd,  now  returns  to 
notice  the  chief  residences  in  each  district, 
and  as  he  began  his  description  of  these 
districts  with  Erris,  he  now  enumerates 
the  seats  in  that  district  first  of  all.  The 
seat  here  called  Oileach,  which  would  be 
pronounced  EUagh,  most  probably  stood 
on  Ard  Oiligh,  or  Ardelly  point,  near 
Bingham's  Castle,  in  the  parish  of  Kil- 
more  Erris,  in  the  peninsula  within  the 
Mullet.  There  is  a  small  hill  immediately 
to  the  south  of  the  castle  called  Qn  car- 
aip,  i.  e.  the  caher,  or  stone  fort,  but  there 
are  no  remains  of  a  fort  on  it  at  present. 

•>  Dumha  Caechain. — This  place  is  now 


Da 

called  Doonkeeghan.  It  was  the  name  of 
an  ancient  fort  on  the  site  of  which  a  cas- 
tle was  erected  by  one  of  the  Barrett 
family.  It  is  situated  in  the  toA\Tiland  of 
Killygalligan,  in  the  parish  of  Kilcommon, 
and  barony  of  Erris,  about  eight  miles 
and  a  half  north-east  of  the  little  town  of 
Belmullet.  This  fort  stood  on  a  project- 
ing cliff,  half  a  mile  west  of  the  coast- 
guard station  of  Rinroe,  in  the  most 
northern  division  of  Erris,  which  was 
called  Dumha  Caochain  from  the  sand- 
banks which  it  contains  in  abundance,  and 
Hy-Maccaochain  from  the  tribe  which  in- 
habited it.  The  reader  is  here  to  under- 
stand that  Dun  Caechain^  i.  e.  Keeghan's 
dun,  or  fort,  was  the  true  original  name 


28l 

Prominent  in  tlie  line  of  each  bool: 
Is  this  tribe,  the  best  to  strangers. 

Oileach  of  the  kings"  west  of  the  wave, 
Dumha  Caechain°,  as  I  sing, 
Prodigious  the  shadow  of  their  corn-fields, 
Two  beautiful  forts  over  estuaries^. 

After  my  return  from  the  cold  Irrus 

I  shall  name  the  habitation  of  the  great  hosts, 
Dun  Fine''  of  the  spear-armed  troops 
Belongs  to  a  tribe  of  numerous  families. 

Kaith  Branduibh''  of  the  track  of  prosperity, 
The  noble  mansion  of  the  arch-chieftain, 
Is  the  mansion  seat  of  Conn's  descendant, 
A  field  where  the  fruit  pods  are  yellow-bearded. 

Loch  Deala'  not  scarce  of  bushes, 
Inis  Cua"  of  the  fair-spotted  trouts. 

Are 

of  the  residence,  and  that  Dumha  Caoch-  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  and  descendant  of 

ain  was  properly  the  name  of  the  sand-  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles. 

banks  in  its  vicinity,  ^  Loch  Deala This  place,  which  is  also 

P  Over  estuaries;  Inbhers,  estuaries,  or  celebrated  in  the  Tripartite  Life  of  St. 

the  mouths  of  rivers.  Dun  Caochain  stood  Patrick,   as  published  by  Colgan  in  his 

over  Invermore,  now  Broadhaven  and  Oi-  Trias  Thaum.  (p.  141,  col.  b),  still  retains 

leach,  on  the  west  side  of  Blacksod  Bay.  this  name,  which  is  applied  to  a  lough,  in 

^  Dun  Fine,   now   Dunfeeny,    in   the  the  south-west  of  the  parish  of  Ballyso- 

north  of  the  barony  of  Tirawley.   For  the  keery,  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley.     The 

situation  of  this  dun,   or  fort,  see  p.  6,  townland  in  which  this  lough  is  situated 

Note  z,  and  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  is  from  it  called  Ballyloughdalla,  but  the 

of  Mayo,  sheet  6.  Lough  itself,  Lough  Dalla,  in  the  angli- 

*■  Bath  Branduibh,  now  Rafran,  in  Ti-  cised  form — See  Ordnance  Map  of  Mayo, 

rawley See  Ordnance  Map  of  Mayo,  sheets  21  and  22. 

sheets  14  and  15.  "  Inis  Cua,  now  Inishcoe,  situated  on 

•     *  Cannes  descendant,  i.  e.  O'Dowd,  arch-  the  west  side  of  Lough  Conn,  in  the  south- 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.                                   2  O 


282 


Da  pope  ell  'con  pet)ain 
naji  Docc  epi  C)'  aiDe^aib. 

Ganac  n-Duban  na  lon^  luacli, 
inaD  caicliTTii  na  caem-cuarh, 
popr  jioi^el  t)o  h-di]ierhaD  ann 
oijiep  aipnet)  if  uball. 

Oun  nnic  Concobaip  na  cpech 
fpcao  nap  luait)et>  leir-byiecli 
Iccaji  l?aca  pa'n  mfn  muip 
05  5pib  para  t)a  pi^paiD. 

Dun  Concperam  na  conn  n-^eal 
dpup  ana  ppich  pin-pleD, 
inaD  caichmi  h-1  Chuino  cpecait), 
ap  pairchi  an  pumD  poio-lerain. 

Qn  Oct  Opai^mg  ap  oep^  ttacli, 
fpDao  paipping  O  piacpach, 


bun 


east  of  the  parish  of  Crossmolina,  in  the 

barony  of  Tirawley See  Ordnance  Map 

of  the  County  of  Mayo,  sheet  38.  This 
was  the  residence  of  the  celebrated  war- 
rior Cosnamhach  O'Dowd  in  1 1 62,  and  of 
Eemond  Burke  in  1458.  It  is  now  the 
seat  of  M.  Pratt,  Esq. 

'  EanachDuhhainofthe  rapid ships^novi 
called  simply  Eanach.  This  is  an  island 
in  the  east  side  of  Lough  Conn,  lying 
nearly  due  east  of  Inishcoe,  above  men- 
tioned. It  is  in  the  parish  of  Kilbelfad, 
and  in  that  part  of  Tirawley  called  the 

Two  Bacs See   Ordnance  Map   of  the 

County  of  Mayo,  sheet  39.  By  ships  in 
this  line  is  meant  the  boats   of  Lough 


Conn.  It  is  curious  that  the  Irish  writers, 
so  late  as  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  were 
wont  to  style  the  boats  of  Lough  Mask, 
and  other  large  lakes,  by  the  name  of 
lonja,  ships. 

"  Dun  mhic  Conchobhair In  the  prose 

list  prefixed  to  this  poem  this  place  is 
called  Caislen  mhic  Conchobhair,  or  Dun 
mic  Conchobhair.  It  is  now  anglicised 
Castleconor,  and  is  the  name  of  a  townland 
and  parish  lying  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river  Moy,  in  the  barony  of  Tireragh,  and 
county  of  Sligo.  —  See  Ordnance  Map  of 
that  county,  sheet  22.  The  townland 
contains  the  ruins  of  a  castle  standing  on 
the  site  of  an  ancient  dun,  or  earthen  fort, 


283 

Are  two  other  mansions  of  the  tribe 

Who  gave  not  strait  refusal  to  strangers. 
Eanach  Dubhain  of  the  rapid  ships^ 

Is  a  banquetting  place  of  the  fair  tribes, 

A  very  bright  fort  is  mentioned  here, 

District  of  sloes  and  apples. 
Dun  mic  Conchobhair''  of  plunders, 

A  mansion  in  which  no  false  sentence  was  passed, 

Ichtar  ratha""  at  which  the  sea  is  smooth. 

With  a  prosperous  griffin  of  the  princes. 
Dun  Contreathan^  of  the  frothy  waves, 

A  mansion  in  which  winy  banquets  are  found. 

Is  the  banqueting  hall  of  the  plundering  descendant  of  Conn, 

On  the  green  of  the  wide-sodded  land. 
The  two  Draighneachs^  of  red  colour, 

The  wide  mansion  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach, 

Bun 

on  a  hill  called  Cnocan  Ui  Dliubhda,  situ-  thain's  fort,  Cu-Treatlaain  being  the  name 

ated  on  a  point  of  land  extending  into  the  of  a  man,  signifying  the  hero  of  the  sea. 

river  Moy.  The  name  of  this  place  is  still  preserved, 

^  Ichtar  ratka,  i.  e.  the  lower  district  of  but  very  much  obscured  under  its  angli- 

the  fort.     This  is  called  MuUach  ratha  cised  form  Donaghintraine,  which  is  applied 

elseAvhere,  and  is  undoubtedly  the  place  to  a  townland  situated  on  the  coast,  in  the 

now  called  Eath  laogh,  or  Rathlee,  situated  north  of  the  parish  of  Templeboy,  in  the 

in  the  parish  of  Easkey,  in  Tireragh — See  barony  of  Tireragh.  —  See  Ordnance  Map 

Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheets  lo  and  1 1.  of  the  County  of  Sligo,  sheet  1 2.    On  the 

y  Dun  Contreathain. — This  is  called  in  old  map  of  these  coasts,  preserved  in  the 
the  prose  list  Dun  Cinntreathain,  or  Dun  State  Paper  Office,  London,  often  already 
Contreathain,  and  in  the  Annals  of  the  referred  to,  this  place  is  called  Duncan- 
Four  Masters,  at  the  year  1249,  Dun  troghan,  and  shown  as  a  castle  situated 
Contreathain.  The  former  form  of  the  nearly  midway  between  "  Kosslee  and 
name  evidently  means  the  dun  or  fort  at  Aughares." 

the  head  of  the  sea  ;  the  latter,  Cu-Trea-  ^  The  two  Draighneachs,  now  called  the 

2O2 


284 

bun  phinne  a  n-dicpeb  oili, 
5|nniie  plaic-^el  pocoioe. 

Upiallam,  copa  cpiall  lepa, 
cap  eip  na  cpaeb  coibnepa 
CO  plaic  Oiiplaip,  'can  inop  me, 
6'n  c-plog  00  ujimaip  oipne. 

Oa  ^eaba,  map  puaip  cac  pep, 
coipri,  Do  ceD  an  coimDeD, 
Do  molaD  a  piimD  uili, 
copaD  CumD  ip  Conaipi. 

Pe  linD  UaiD5,  ^^P  ^1^15  V^^V^ 
O'DubDa  Do  puaip  aipem 
eicm  chno  ciibpa  na  coll 
ni  mo  iibla  na  n-aball. 


PeD 


two  Draighneachans,  anglice  Drynaghans, 
namely,  Drynaglianbeg  and  Drynaglian- 
more,   two   townlands    in  the   parish    of 

Kilglass,  in  the  barony  of  Tireragh See 

Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo,  sheets  i6  and  17. 
In  the  prose  list  prefixed  to  this  poem  in 
Duald  Mac  Firbis's  Genealogical  Book,  is 
the  following  observation  in  a  different 

hand  from  his  own,  i7iter  lineas  : "  On 

Lios  na  draighnighe  is  the  Bawn  of  Ceath- 
ramh  an  chaisill  at  this  day."  The  Ord- 
nance Map  shows  two  round  forts  on 
Drynaghanmore,  but  no  trace  of  a  bawn 
or  castle  is  now  to  be  seen  on  the  land. 

^  Bun  Fhinne,  i.  e.  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Finn,  now  Buninna,  in  the  parish  of 

Dromard,   in  the  barony  of  Tireragh 

See  Ordnance  Map  of  the  County  of  Sligo, 


sheet  13.    See  also  p.  120,  Note  ™,  supra. 

^  The  lord  of  Durlas By  this  the  poet 

means  O'Dowd,  but  the  introduction  of 
Durlas  here  is  very  incorrect,  or  at  least 
the  result  of  very  bad  poetical  taste. 
Durlas  was  the  name  of  the  palace  of  the 
celebrated  Guaire  Aidhne,  King  of  Con- 
naught,  Avho  was  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race, 
but  it  is  situated  near  Kinvara,  in  the 
south-west  of  the  county  of  Galway,  and 
O'Dowd,  who  was  not  descended  from 
Guaire,  never  had  any  lordship  over  it. 
Here  the  poet,  after  describing  all  the 
tribes  and  territories  in  the  principality 
of  Hy-Fiachrach,  addresses  Tadhg,  or  Teige 
O'Dowd,  their  head  chieftain,  from  whom 
he  demands  the  reward  of  his  labours, 
which  he  was  confident  would  be  such  gifts 


285 


Bun  Fhinne*  is  another  habitation, 
A  white  wattled  pile  of  hosts. 

Let  us  proceed, — may  it  be  a  prosperous  journey,- 
After  giving  the  genealogical  ramifications, 
To  the  lord  of  Durlas^  with  whom  I  am  great, 
From  the  host  who  have  ornamented  us. 

I  will  obtain,  as  has  each  man. 

The  fruits,  by  God's  permission. 
Of  having  praised  all  his  country. 
Fruits  worthy  of  Conn  and  Conaire^ 

In  the  time  of  Tadhg,  who  refused  not  a  man, 
O'Dubhda,  who  received  obeisance. 
Than  the  kernels  of  the  fragrant  hazel  nuts. 
Not  larger  were  the  apples  of  the  apple  trees'*. 


In 


as  his  great  ancestor,  Conn  of  the  Hundred 
Battles,  would  not  have  been  ashamed  of 
conferring. 

•^  Of  Conn  and  Conaire,  that  is,  we  may 
conjecture,  of  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Bat- 
tles, the  great  ancestor  of  O'Dowd,  and 
his  son-in-law  Conaire  the  Second,  who 
succeeded  him  in  the  monarchy  of  Ireland 
about  the  year  of  Christ  212.  But  the 
allusion  may  be  to  Conaire  the  First,  who 
was  a  far  more  celebrated  monarch,  and 
flourished  early  in  the  first  century,  whose 
reign  is  celebrated  by  the  Irish  bards  as 
having  been  blessed  with  peace  and  plenty, 
as  well  as  with  serenity  of  the  seasons, 
which  they  ascribe  to  his  own  righteous- 
ness and  worthiness,  and  also  to  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Redeemer  of  the  world  on 


earth  in  human  form  during  thirty-three 
years  of  his  reign. 

^  The  apples  of  the  apple  trees,  i.  e.  the 
nuts  were  as  large  as  apples.  —  In  the 
best  and  most  ancient  Irish  MSS.  the 
word  aball,  which  is  evidently  cognate 
with  the  English  word  apple,  is  used  to 
denote  the  apple  tree,  and  uBall,  its  fruit, 
a  distinction  not  at  all  observed  in  the 
modern  language.  The  value  set  by  the 
ancient  Irish  upon  the  hazel  nuts  is  here 
proved  beyond  a  question,  but  nothing  is 
said  in  any  part  of  this  poem  to  show  why 
they  were  so  valuable.  We  know  that 
they  had  large  herds  of  swine  which  fed 
on  masts  in  the  woods,  but  it  is  to  be  sus- 
pected that  the  people  used  the  hazel  nuts 
as  an  article  of  food. 


286 


Pet)  linn  t)o  lai^Oi^  cuili, 

a  cuip  meip-^el  TTlaemTnui^e, 
each  nee  peD  caeb  ip  upom  pacTi, 
pat)  niaep  ap  ponn  O  piacpac. 

Udim^  uopao  a  calmain 

peo  lint),  a  oeip^  oonn-abpait), 
map  pugaip  eac  pale  plecait), 
cu^aip  lace  o'dp  loilgecaib. 

Q  nnic  OoTTinaill  Ouin  ^uaipi, 
mime  t)o  poip  d  li-anbuaine 
efp  Cepa  Duinn  05  d  odil 
pet>a  agup  ii:p  '^d  aomdil. 

Ip  TTiimc  bepap  6d'  bpiij, 
pe  coip  pileD  ip  eplum, 
epot)  a  Dum  laim  pe  (^emait), 
'con  t)dini  6  buill  bileagaiD. 


Co 


*  The  foods  have  decreased. — This  sa-  stition  among  the  ancient  Irish, 
vours  very  strongly  of  Eastern  notions.  "  0  son  of  DomhnaU.  —  The  Tadhg,  or 

f  Maenmagh or  ''Maenmuine,'"  insert-  Teige  O'Dowd,  to  whom  this  poem  was 

ed  inter  lineas  in  the  hand  of  the  original  addressed  was  Tadhg  Riabhach,  the  son 

scribe  of  the  Book  of  Lecan.     Here,  by  a  of  Domhnall  Cleireach  O'Dowd.     He  suc- 

A/icious  poetical  taste,  the  name  of  a  plain  ceeded,  as  chief  of  his  name,  in  141 7,  the 

in  Hy-Many  is  introduced  merely  for  its  very  year  in  which  this  poem  was  composed, 

being    in    Connaught,     though     neither  and  died  in  1432.    He  was  one  of  the  most 

O'Dowd,  nor  any  of  his  ancestors,  had  any  celebrated  chiefs  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  being 

dominion  over  it  from  a  very  remote  pe-  the  founder  of  the  Abbey  of  Ardnarea, 

nod,  never,  in  fact,  except  when  they  be-  and  the  patron  of  the  compiler  of  the  Book 

came  kings  of  Connaught,  which  was  not  of  Lecan. 

the   case   since   they   took   the  surname  '  Dun  Gttaire.  —  This  place  is  in  the 

O'Dowd.  country  of  the  O'Heynes,  in  the  south- 

8  Thou  hast  brought  down  every  moisten-  west  of  the  county  of  Galway,  and  is  in- 

ing  shower See  Battle  of  Magh  Eath,  troduced  here  by  a  wild  poetical  stretch 

p.  1 01,  for  a  fuller  account  of  this  super-  of  the  imagination,  as  it  was  the  palace  of 


28; 

In  thy  time  tlie  floods  have  decreased^, 
O  white-fingered  tower  of  Maenmagh^, 
Every  person  by  thy  side  is  of  heavy  prosperity, 
Under  thy  steward  in  the  land  of  Hy-Fiachrach. 

Fertihty  has  come  in  the  land 

In  thy  time,  O  ruddy  face  of  brown  eye-brows, 

As  thou  hast  brought  down  every  moistening  shower^, 

Thou  hast  given  milk  to  our  milch-cows. 

0  son  of  Domhnall"  of  Dun  Guaire' 

Oft  have  we  been  relieved  from  distress 
By  the  rent  of  Ceara  to  us  distributed. 
Which  the  trees  and  the  soil  confessed^ 

Oft  is  carried  from  thy  palace, 

In  the  company  of  poets  and  saints. 
Cattle  from  the  fort  near  Leamhach''. 
By  the  fraternity  of  arborous  Buill', 

To 

Guaire  Aidhne,  King  of  Connauglit,  who  Lavagli,  is  the  name  of  a  townland  in  tlie 

was  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race.  parish  of  Dromard,  in  Tireragh,  and  it  is 

J  Which  the  trees  and  the  soil  confessed,  quite  obvious  that  the  fort  here  alluded 

i.  e.  by  their  fertility  they  exhibited  the  to  is  the  celebrated  castle  of  Longford, 

clearest  signs  of  the  righteousness  of  thy  which  was  originally  built  by  the  English, 

reign  and  of  the  justice  with  which  thou  but  which  was  taken  from  them  by  the 

disposest  of  the  tributes  rendered  thee  by  grandfather  of  the  hero  of  this  poem,  who 

the  inhabitants.     It  is  very  much  to  be  erected  there  an  addition  to  the  Bawn  of 

doubted,  however,  that  the  Tadhg  O'Dowd  Longford,  which  he  called  Leaba  an  eich 

to  whom  this  poem  was  addressed,  was  in  bhuidhe,  i.  e.  the  bed  of  the  yellow  steed, 
receipt  of  the  tributes  of  Ceara,  and  it  is         '  The  fraternity  of  the  arborous  Bidll, 

greatly  to  be  feared  that  the  poet  has  here  i.  e.  the  friars  of  the  abbey  of  Boyle,  in 

converted  his  creacha,  or  preys,  into  his  the    county   of  Koscommon,    to    whom 

lawful  tributes  peaceably  rendered  him.  O'Dowd,  the  hero  of  this  poem,  appears 

"  The  fort  near  Leamhach We  have  to  have  been  liberal  in  his   presents   of 

already  seen  that  Leamhach,  now  anglice  cattle. 


Co  Cjiuacmn  ay^  cojicpa  pit), 
e]n5  a]i  plicc  na  pinnp eyi, 
cair  t)o  peal  a  mup  TTleaDba, 
ben  t)o'n  t)un  a  oomennia. 

Da  bei]i  cac  odm,  n^  a  ciiait), 

Da  co^paip  piap  uap  pen-TTluaiD, 
^ell  6  Qpaint)  mfn  TTlupbai^, 
Do  Uhip  ctlainD  Qmal^am. 

Na  cpei^  ap  Chpuacain  clann  ChuinD 
TTla^  TTluaibi  na  Tin  up  n-ofgainD, 
ndp  can  a  pmD-mui^i  o'dp 
a^  m^aipi  claip  Chpuacan. 

^fo  aibmt)  Cpuaca  na  cldp, 
ip  Cepa  na  cpaeb  coTnldn, 
pedpp  comnafDi  an  cfpi  c-piap, 
ponn  irmigi  nmne  TTIaicniaD. 


Pair 


™  Cruackan,  i,  e.  Eathcroghan,  near 
Belanagare,  in  the  county  of  Roscommon, 
the  ancient  seat  of  the  Kings  of  Con- 
naught. 

°  The  fort  o/il/m(//?M._Rathcroghan, 
so  called  from  the  celebrated  heroine 
Meadhbh,  i.  e.  Meave,  or  Mauda,  queen 
of  Connaught,  who  dwelt  in  this  fort  in 
the  first  century,  and  who  is  more  cele- 
brated in  Irish  stories  than  any  other  fe- 
male character  of  ancient  times  in  Ireland. 

"  Its  dejection,  i.  e.  make  it  cheerful  by 
thy  presence.  This  is  casting  a  slight 
slur  on  the  O' Conors  of  Croghan,  whose 
power  at  this  period  had  been  very  much 
crippled  by  the  Burkes  and  other  families 


of  English  descent,  in  Connaught.  The 
last  of  the  O' Conors  who  was  inaugurated 
king  of  the  Irish  of  Connaught,  was  slain 
eleven  years  before  this  poem  was  com- 
posed, so  that  the  poet  had  just  reason 
to  represent  the  fort  of  Meave  as  gloomy 
and  dejected,  there  being  then  no  king  of 
the  hereditary  race  of  Croghan  to  cheer  it 
with  his  festivities. 

^  Ara  of  the  plain  of  Murbhach This 

is  the  great  island  of  Aran,  in  the  bay  of 
Gal  way,  which  contains  a  small  plain  called 
Murbhach,  i.  e,  sea-plain,  situated  towards 
its  north-west  end,  at  a  place  called  Cill 
Murbhaigh,  anglice  Kilmurvy. 

1  Tir  Amhalgaidh,  now  Tirawley. 


289 

To  Cruaclian'"  of  tlie  purple-berried  trees 

Proceed  in  the  track  of  thy  ancestors, 

Pass  thy  time  in  the  fort  of  Meadhbh", 

Remove  from  that  fort  its  dejection". 
Every  band  of  the  literati  that  comes  to  the  north, 

Whom  thou  invitest  westwards  across  the  old  Muaidh, 

Brings  a  pledge  from  Ara  of  the  plain  of  Murbhach^ 

To  the  beauteous  Tir  Amhalgaidh"^. 
Forsake  not  for  Cruachan  of  the  race  of  Conn, 

The  plain  of  the  Muaidh  of  the  defensive  forts, 

It  would  be  a  shame  to  neglect  the  cultivation  of  its  fair  plam 

While  caring  the  plain  of  Cruachan. 
Though  delightful  is  Cruachan  of  the  plains. 

And  Ceara""  of  the  full-grown  bushes, 

It  is  better  to  dwell  in  the  western  land, 

The  level  soil  of  Maicnia's  plain'. 

The 

>•  And  Ceara.— This  clearly  shows  that  names  by  which  Ireland  was  known  to 

the  hero  of  the  poem  was  not  in  possession  the  ancients,  says   that  the   Irish   poets 

of  Ceara,  as  already  hinted.  frequently  formed  other  appellations  for 

«  Maicnia's  plain,  an  appellation  given  her  from  the  names  of  the  more  celebrated 
to  all  Ireland  by  the  Irish  bards,  by  a  of  her  monarchs  ;  in  corroboration  ot 
vicious  poetical  license  which  often  ob-  which  he  quotes  a  quatrain  from  a  poem 
scures  their  writings.  This  Maicnia  was  by  Hugh,  the  son  of  O'Donnell.  His  words 
the  father  of  Lughaidh  Mac  Con,  who  are :-"  Denique  non  raro  a  Poetis  pa- 
usurped  the  throne  of  Tara  in  the  third  triis  quorundam  celebriorum  Insula  re- 
century.— See  O'Flaherty's  Ogygia,  Part  gum  adjectis  nominibus,  hujus,  vel  Hlius 
III.  c.  67  ;  and  Keating  in  the  reign  of  Eegis  (expresso  nomine)  regio,  plaga,  terra, 
Lughaidh  Mac  Con  ;  but  as  Maicnia  him-,  campus,  regia,  curia,  aut  quod  simile  cog- 
self  was  never  monarch  of  all  Ireland,  it  nominatur  ;  ut  in  sequentibus  ex  Hugone 
was   very   incorrect    to    call    the    whole  O'Donnelli  filio: 

country    after    his    name.      The    learned  "^o.peeap  ceac  Cuarail  d' Gipmn, 

O'Flaherty,   in  treating  of  the  different  Cpo  Cumn  ip  po""  F'""-FlieiDlim, 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.                                   2  P 


290 


nd  cpeig  ap  cldp  na  Cpuacan, 
paic  bpaic-^el  na  m-bileab  m-bo^, 
dirpeab  pileab  ^y  eppo^. 

Co  Diipbip  oa  cogpaip  cpiall, 

a  TTieic  Oomnaill  Ouin  ^cti^^ccn, 
leu  airpip  na  pi^  poime, 
a  5pib  cair-lip  Conaipe. 

biait)  uTYiao  ag  epgi  amac 

cafpi^  na  ponn-pa  O  phiacpac, 

ip  cpiau  an  cfpi  pi  rail 

le  pfni-pi  a  n-iach  eaccpanD, 

bheic  uauaO  m  Duuait)  Duio 
a  h-1  Dubt)a  Dvnn  Copmaic, 
ppoll  'cot)  maicm  pdt)  meoaib, 
plo^  ip  aipri  t)'  plnlet>aib. 

Pf^paiO  Cepa  pcto  bpeic  n-oumt), 
plua^  Ippuip  t)o  cap  comlinnt), 
li-l  Qnial^aiD,  ploig  na  pleg, 
t)o'n  ^ciTnctnpaiD  moip  TTlileat). 


Sluai^ 


lac  Ujame,  ^y  acaiD  Qiyic, 

Cpioc  Chobcaij  ip  clup  Chopmaic. 

"  Dicta  Tuathalii  domus  Eria,  regia  Quinti : 
Fedlimii  fundus,  plaga  Cobthaca,   et  Hugonis 

arvum  : 
Arturi  regio,  vestrum  et  Cormace,  theatrum." 
Ogygia,  p.  19. 

■^  The  fort  of  Durlas This  is  a  hint  to 

the  O'Dowd  that  he  had  a  right  to  the 
country  of  the  southern  Hy-Fiachrach, 
that  is,  the  country  of  Aidhne,  co-exten- 


sive with  the  diocese  of  Kilmacduagh,  in 
the  county  of  Galway,  of  which  country 
Durlus,  now  called  Dun  Guaire,  was  the 
head  residence. 

^  Fort  of  Gailian It  is  hard  to  con- 
jecture what  fort  the  poet  has  here  in 
view.  The  coimtry  of  the  Gailians,  a 
sept  of  the  Firbolgs  of  Connaught,  com- 
prised the  present  baronies  of  Gallen, 
Leyny,  and  other  districts  which  bordered 
on  O'Dowd's  country  ;  and  it  is  very  pro- 


291 

The  fort  of  Durlas'  of  lasting  fame 

Forsake  not  for  the  plain  of  Cruachan, 

The  white-sheeted  fort  of  soft  trees 

Habitation  of  poets  and  bishops. 
To  Durlas  shouldst  thou  desire  to  go 

O  son  of  Domhnall  of  the  fort  of  Gailian", 

Pui'sue  the  example  of  the  kings  before  thee, 

0  griffin  of  the  battle-fort  of  Conaire\ 
There  will  be  around  thee  rising  out 

The  chieftains  of  this  land  of  Hy-Fiachrach, 

And  the  lord  of  this  yonder  country 

With  whom  thou  mayest  march  into  the  land  of  strangers. 
To  be  alone  is  not  hereditary  to  thee, 

O  O'Dubhda  of  the  fort  of  Cormac''! 

Thy  people  have  satin  under  thy  medes, 

A  host  the  most  ripe  for  poets. 
The  chiefs  of  Ceara  under  thy  bright  aspect, 

The  host  of  Irrus  to  urge  the  conflict, 

The  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  host  of  lances, 

Of  the  great  Milesian  Gamanradii''. 

^  Should 

bablethat  the  place  here  mentioned  was  the  just  claim. 

ancient  name  of  some  one  of  O'Dowd's  -  Fort  of  Cormac.-1\As  is  a  made  name 

seats,  the  site  of  which  might  have  been  too,  and  by  it  the  poet  evidently  means 

originally  occupied  by  a  Firbolgic  fort;  Tara,  the  seat  of  Cormac  O'Cmnn,  the 

but  the  Editor  has  discovered  nothing  to  great  ancestor  of  the  chieftain  famihes  of 

throw  any  light  upon  the  subject.  the   north  and  west   of  Ireland,   and  ol 

^  Battle-fort  of  Conaire.  —  O'Dowd  had  O'Dowd  among  the  rest, 

no  residence  of  this  name,  and  it  is  very  ^  Alllesian  Gamanradii.-The  Gaman-^ 

likely  that  the  poet  is  here  going  outside  raidhi  were  a  fierce  and  warlike  tribe  ol 

the  bounds  oftruechorography  by  styling  the  Firbolgs  seated  in  Erris  in  the  first 

his  hero  chief  of  forts  to  which  he  had  no  century  ;  and  their  character  for  bravery 

2P2 


292 

Sluaig  eccpann  t)a  n-epgi  t)um, 
pa'n  oilen  pa  puipc  pdopaij, 
can  luat)  aiuhm  ap  apoili 
'con  c-flua^  t)'aiuli  ip^aili. 

Q  TTieic  OoTTinaill  ct  Dun  Chuint), 
cu  ip  oi5pi  o'  in^in  Domnaill, 
clu  in  t)a  Domnall  ao  tje^aiD 
paD  cpu  a  comlann  cuinseDaig. 

Ml  Duca  ouiD  TTla^  TTluait)!, 
'nd  ponn  Uempa  caeb  uaine, 
ppiu  05  am  pcol  na  pgpeabcpa, 
'pc(  cjiic  poip  CO  pein  Galpa. 

Clann  piacpac  05  ep^i  amac, 
pa'n  pf  pi  ap  ponO  O  piacpac, 
plua^  puacra  pe  cac  peoain 
buap  Cpuacna  'ca  cem  pepaib. 

^luaipiD,  copa  pen  popaiD, 

CO  Cpuacain  clann  Concobaip, 
a  nepc  ap  Chpuacain  do  cuip, 
cpe  cepu  h-1  Uuarail  Ueccniaip. 


Ni 


and  dexterity  at  arms  was  such  that  the  College,  Dublin. 

poet  here  intends  to  compliment  the  de-         y  The  island  of  Patrick'' s  city This  is 

scendants  of  their  conquerors  by  styling  another  shift  to  form  a  poetical  name  for 

them  Milesian  Gamanraidhi.     Some  very  Ireland  !    Patrick's  city  here  denotes  Ar- 

curious  accounts  of  Ferdia  Mac  Damain,  magh,    and  the  Island  of  Patrick's  city 

who  was  the  principal  champion  of  this  means  Ireland,    of  which  Armagh  is  the 

sept  in  the  first  century,  are  preserved  in  chief  ecclesiastical  city  ! 

the  very  ancient   historical   tales   called  ^  Fort  of  Conn,  i.  e.  Tara,  the  fort  of 

Tain  Bo  Cuailgne,  and  Tain  Bo  Flidhisi,  Conn   of  the    Hundred   Battles,   who  is 

of  which  there  are  ancient  copies  on  vel-  O'Dowd's  great  ancestor. 

lum  preserved  in  the  Library  of  Trinity         *  Daughter  of  DomknalL— According  to 


293 

Should  a  host  of  strangers  meet  thee 

To  contend  for  this  island  of  Patrick's  city^, 

That  host  would  not  recognize  each  other 

After  encountering  thee  in  battle. 
0  son  of  Domhnall  of  the  fort  of  Conn^, 

Thou  art  the  heir  of  the  daughter  of  Domhnall^ ; 

The  fame  of  the  two  Domhnalls^  follow  thee, 

Which  will  sustain  thy  blood  in  the  conflict. 
Not  more  hereditary  to  thee  is  the  plain  of  Muaidh, 

Than  the  land  of  the  green-sided  Tara, 

As  is  found  by  my  school  in  their  writings, 

And  the  region  east  of  the  old  Alps*". 
The  race  of  Fiachra  when  rising  out 

Under  tliis  king  of  the  land  of  Hy-Fiachrach, 

Are  a  host  dreaded  by  every  tribe, 

The  kine  of  Cruachan  are  obtained  by  their  chief  men. 
Let  them  proceed, — may  it  be  a  fehcitous  journey,— 

To  Cruachan  of  the  Clann  Conchobhair^ 

His  sway  over  Cruachan  to  enforce, 

In  right  of  the  heir  of  Tuathal  Teachtmhar". 

He 

Duald  Mac  Firbis,  in  his  brief  Annals  of         '^  Clann  Conckobkair,  I  e.  the  O'Conors 

the    O'Dowd    family,    the    daughter    of  of  Connaught,  who  held  the  sovereignty 

O'MaUey  was  the  mother  of  this  Tadhg,  of  Connaught  to  a  later  period  than  the 

or  Teige  O'Dowd,  and  of  his  brother  and  Hy-Fiachrach  or  O'Dowd  line, 
predecessor,  Eiiaidhri,  or  Eory.  '  ffeir   of  Tuathal  Teachtmhar.  —The 

"  The  fame  of  the  two  Domhnalls,  i.  e.  law  of  primogeniture  being  disregarded, 

the   fame   of  his   maternal    grandfather,  as  it  unquestionably  was  in  Ireland,  the 

Domhnall,  orDonnellO'Malley,  and  of  his  O'Dowds  are  as  much  the  heirs  of  King 

own  father,  Domhnall  Cleireach  O'Dowd.  Tuathal    Teachtmhar,    as    the    O'Neills, 

^  The  region  east  to  the  old  Alps This  O'Conors,  or  any  other  family  who  claimed 

alludes  to  King  Dathi's  expedition  to  the  the  monarchy  in  right  of  descent  from 

Alps,  already  often  referred  to.  him. 


294 

Wf  h-aiica]i  pip  d  ]nnt)  ^liat), 

mac  TTiic  bpiam,  a]-*  blaich  popmam, 

ap  in  paiDchi  i  n-uaip  a^a, 

pluaig  '5a  aicne  ip  eodna. 
(1]\  airpip  na  pf^  poime, 

O'Duboa  a  Oun  Lae^aipi, 

reac  Uiiarail  ap  aipi  an  pip, 

Y  cac  baili  unn  Cpiiacain  coill-gil. 
^ell  ap  Denam  'cd  Dpeic  n-Duint) 

ap  en^nam  ip  a]i  oppiiini 

t)o  uaip  a  h-aicli  pdgla 

buaiD  n-aichni  a^up  n-uplabpa. 
Qobap  imeoai^re  menma 

C)a  rennaiu  Do  ri^epna 

ean^  nuaioi  min  t>o'n  mall  muip 

pd  chip  n-uaine  n-QmalgaiD. 
Q  tteapaio  Dama  an  Domain 

pe  h-oi^pi  an  puinn  eplomai^, 

ap  lop  map  cainp  a  cpaD 

mop  cac  maiciup  6  mopab. 

nriac  Domnaill  6  miip  ITleaoba, 

peinio  mapclac  mop-Delba, 

pa 

f  The  grandson  of  Brian Tadhg,  or  Mall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  who  was  mo- 

Teige  O'Dowd,  to  whom  this  poem  was  narch  of  Ireland  when  St.  Patrick  arrived 

addressed,  was  the  grandson  of  the  cele-  in  432.     Dunleary,  near  Dublin,  is  sup- 

brated  Sen  Bhrian   O'Dowd,  who  drove  posed  to  have  taken  its  name  from  the 

all  the  Anglo-Norman  settlers  otit  of  Ti-  same  monarch,  but  no  historical  proof  of 

reragh,  and  died  in  the  year  1354.  the  fact  has  yet  been  discovered. 

^  Fort  of  Laeghaire.  —  t)un  ^aeraipi.  ^  House  of  Tuathal This  is  another 

This  is  intended  as  a  name  for  Tara,  as  name  for  Tara,  from  its  having  been  the  seat 

having  been  the  seat  of  Laeghaire,  son  of  of  the  Irish  monarch  Tuathal  Teachtmhar. 


295 

He  does  not  shrink  from  the  spear  of  battle, 

The  grandson  of  Brian*  of  splendid  aspect, 

In  the  field  at  the  hour  of  valour, 

The  host  who  recognize  him  are  timid. 
In  imitation  of  the  kings  before  him, 

O'Dubhda,  hero  of  the  fort  of  Laeghaire^, 

Has  his  attention  fixed  on  the  house  of  Tuathal", 

And  on  every  town  round  Cruachan  of  fair  hazels. 
The  palm  for  beauty  has  his  brunette-face  won, 

And  eke  for  valour  and  submission, 

He  has  got  besides  these  acquirements 

The  gift  of  recognition  and  eloquence. 
Cause  of  exaltation  of  mind 

For  this  lord,  that  he  has  stoutly  contested 

A  new  smooth  angle  of  the  calm  sea 

Along  the  green  Tir  Amhalgaidh'. 
The  bards  of  the  world  will  say 

To  the  heir  of  this  land  of  saints. 

Sufficiently  has  he  expended  his  wealth. 

It  is  great  to  exalt  each  goodness. 

The  son  of  Domhnall  of  the  fort  of  Meadhbh^, 

A  manly  great-faced  hero. 

Has 

'  Of  the  green  Tir  Amhalgaidh From  and  that  "  he  had  restored  the  hereditary 

this  it  would  seem  that  the  hero  of  this  poem  estates  in  his  principality,  both  lay  and 

had  been  contending  with  the  Barretts,  or  ecclesiastical,  to  the  lawful  proprietors." 

Burkes,  for  a  section  of  the  sea  bordering  But  it  does  not  appear  that  he  ever  pos- 

on  Tirawley  ;  probably  that  part  at  the  sessed  any  part  of  Tirawley. 

mouth  of  the  river  Moy,  which  was  valu-  J  Fort  of  Meadhbh,   i.   e.    Croghan,   or 

able  for  the  salmon  fishery.    In  the  record  Eathcroghan,  the  seat  of  Meave,  a  cele- 

of  this  chieftain's  death,  given  in  the  An-  brated  queen  of  Connaught,  already  often 

nals  of  the  Four  Masters  at  the  year  1432,  referred  to. 
it  is  stated  that  "  he  was  lord  of  Tireragh," 


296 

pa  u^a  00  cair  a  cjiat) 

ca  TTiair  ay  bu^a  bponncap. 

Cci  h-imipli  cliapa  clanD  CuinD 
t)o  TTiolat)  t)ei5-Tmc  Oomnaill 
nd  copat)  an  cipi  nap 
t)o  molao  spibi  ^ailian. 

TTiuna  canaD  peappeapa, 

00  canpaiDt)  cpaeb  coibnepa, 
t)'  0'Dubt)a  t)'ap  ce^  Uemaip, 
'pa  lup^a  ^el  ^emealai^. 

Oa  cumup  t)'d  cneap  map  ruinD, 
oigpi  Deig-bpeuac  DoTnnaill, 
pip  ^naic-Ducaip  cac  oume 
CO  pdich  clum-raip  Coonai^i. 

Pi^dn  iiapal  00  clomt)  Chuint), 
in^ean  Deit^-^eal  h-1  Ooninaill, 
ni  ceapc  buait)  ap  mnai  Tniijibai^, 
oo'n  ^naf  puaip  6  ollumnaib. 


^ 


Ingen 


^  Gailian The  ancient   sept  of  the 

Firbolgs,  called  Galians,  had  certainly- 
possessed  apart  of  Hy-Fiachrach  before  the 
descendants  of  Eochaidli  Muighmheadh- 
oin,  monarch  of  Ireland,  had  obtained 
settlements  in  Connaught ;  and  this  is  the 
reason  that  O'Dowd  is  called  here  Griffin 
of  Gailian,  and  a  few  lines  higher  up  (p.  29 1 ) 
"  of  the  fort  of  Gailian."  The  Gailians  of 
the  Firbolgic  race  are  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  people  called  Galeuga,  who  were 
of  the  Milesian  race,  and  the  descendants 
of  Cormac  Gaileng,  a  Munster  chieftain. 


who  settled  here. 

'  Had  not  Ferfeasa  sung This  was  not 

the  Ferfeasa  Mac  Firbis  whose  pedigree  has 
been  given  in  page  103,  supra.  It  is  quite 
obvious  from  this  allusion  that  this  Fer- 
feasa had  written  a  poem  on  the  genealogy 
of  the  O'Dowds  previously  to  the  compo- 
sition of  the  present  poem,  but  the  Editor 
has  not  been  able  to  find  it. 

"*  Fort  of  Codhnach This  was   the 

name  of  some  fort  near  DrumclifF,  in  the 
barony  of  Carbury,  below  the  town  of 
Sligo,  for  the  river  here  called  Codhnach 


# 


Has  in  profusion  spent  liis  wealtli ; 

That  which  is  bestowed  well  is  the  most  generously  bestowed. 

Not  more  nobly  do  the  learned  of  the  race  of  Conn 
Panegyrize  the  good  son  of  Domhnall, 
Than  does  the  produce  of  the  western  country 
Praise  that  griffin  of  Gailian^. 

Had  not  Fearfeasa'  sung 

I  would  now  sing  the  family  tree 
For  O'Dubhda,  whose  house  is  Tara, 
And  his  fair  genealogical  lineage. 

I  have  composed  for  this  skin  like  the  wave, 
For  the  just-judging  heir  of  Domhnall, 
An  account,  of  the  constant  inheritance  of  each  man 
As  far  as  the  soft-feathered  fort  of  Codhnach™. 

A  noble  queen  of  the  race  of  Conn, 

The  white-toothed  daughter  of  O'Donneir, 

Not  small  is  the  victory  of  the  woman  of  Murbhach° 

From  the  beauty  she  received  from  the  Ollamhs^. 

The 

(pronounced  Cownagh)  was  the  ancient  and  such  as  the  Murrow  on  the  strand  of 

name  of  the  river  which  discharges  itself  Wicklow,  &c.,  the  Editor  has  not,  however, 

into  the  bay  of  Sligo,  near  the  village  of  found  that  Murbhach  was  the  name  of  any 

Drumcliff.     There   are   many  celebrated  celebrated  seat  of  O'Donnell  at  this  period; 

forts  in  the  vicinity  of  this  river,  but  it  is  but  he  is  inclined  to  think  that  it  is  not 

impossible  to  conjecture  what  fort  in  this  a  mere  fancy  name  made  by  Mac  Firbis 

vicinity  the  poet  had  here  in  view.  to  answer  his  rhyme,  as  the  O'Donnells 

•»  The  white-toothed  daughter  of  0' Don-  are  called  laocpaio  ITIupbaij,  or  heroes 

nell.—^h&  was  undoubtedly  the  wife  of  of  Murbhach,  in  several  other  poems. 

Tadhg  O'Dowd.  P  From  the  beauty  she  received  from  the 

°  Murbhach There  are  many  places  of  ollamhs,  i.  e.  the  celebrity  which  the  oU- 

this  name  in  Tirconnell,  or  the  county  of  amhs,  or  chief  poets,  have  given  alike  to 

Donegal,  where  the  word  is  understood  to  her  beauty  and  goodness  in  their  panegy- 

mean  a  flat  spot  of  land  verging  on  the  sea,  rical  poems. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.                                   2  Q 


298 


In^en  h-l  Ooninaill  Ooipi, 

beanjdn  Do'n  peiin  pfgjioit)!, 

gnai  na  m-ban  f  lap  pap  plaic-ni 

HI  ^ap  Do  pian  Ragnailci. 
lmt)a  TTiipbaili  TTluipe 

TYidchaip  Ipa  polc-buiDi 

t)o  bac  can  bpon  na  baile  ; 

mop  a  TYiac  a  mipbaib. 
O  gein  Cpipc  t)o  copain  blao 

cop  a'  ouam  pi  t)o  oeapbaD, 

cerpa  ceD  ip  nnili  meap, 

ni  bpe^  an  line  luaicep, 

pecc  TTi-bliaDna  065  can  onbi, 

m  ciainDa  an  cpeo  cojuiOi. 

Qpaile  t)o  plaraib  Ua  n-Duboa,  ^up  an  gaipni  Oo  bepiD  leabaip 
aipipm  Doib,  .1.  gaipm  pio^,  ajup  516  coirhi^eac  pin  aniu,  nip  b'eab 
'm  an  am  pin  05  ^^^^^^^tluib,  00  pep  a  n-Dli^ib  pen  an  uaip  pin, 
ajup  Do  pep  cmeaD  ele  pop;  peuc  pepiu  cdngaccap  Clann  Ippael 
50  Uip  Uaippngipe  50  m-bduap  cpioclia  pfog  1  n-en  pe  ap  an  cip 
pin,  agup  gan  nf  ap  mo  ma  Dd  ceuD  mile  ap  paD  agup  caogaD  mfle 

ap 


'J  O'DonneU  of  Derry Here  O'Donnell 

is  called  of  Derry  merely  because  Derry 
was  then  within  his  principality,  not  be- 
cause he  ever  had  a  residence  there,  for  it 
is  absolutely  certain  that  he  never  had  ; 
and  it  was  not  until  the  fifteenth  century 
that  he  had  possession  of  Derry  at  aU,  for 
it  and  the  territory  of  Inishowen,  in  which 
it  was  originally  situated,  belonged  to 
O'Neill. 

■■  Many  are  the  miracles  of  Mary,  i.  e.  of 


the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  This  is  thrown 
in  Avithout  any  connexion  whatever  with 
the  foregoing  part  of  the  poem.  The  an- 
cient Irish  poets  thought  it  their  duty  to 
end  all  long  poems  of  this  kind  with  some 
religious  remarks,  to  show  that  they  were 
Christians,  and  humble  believers  in  the 
intercession  of  saints  ;  and  their  pious  eja- 
culations on  such  occasions  often  contrast 
strongly  with  the  sentiments  expressed 
in  the  previous  part  of  their  poems. 


299 

The  daughter  of  O'Donnell  of  Derry'^ 
Is  a  branch  of  the  regal  lineage ; 
The  beauty  of  the  women  in  the  west  under  chieftains 
Approach  not  the  mien  of  Raghnailt. 
Many  are  the  miracles  of  Mary', 

Mother  of  Jesus  of  the  yellow  hair", 
Who  brought  forth,  without  sorrow  in  her  town ; 
Great  is  her  son  in  miracles. 
From  the  birth  of  Christ,  who  defended  fame,  i.  e.  character, 
Until  this  poem  was  proved, 

Are  four  hundred  and  one  thousand  fleeting  ^/ear^. 
Not  false  the  age  that  is  mentioned, 
And  seventeen  years'  without  obscurity ; 
Not  obscure  is  the  select  flocF. 
Here  follow  some  of  the  chieftains  of  the  O'Dubhdas,  with  the 
title  which  historical  books  give  them,  namely,  the  title  of  king,  and 
though  strange  this  appears  at  this  day",  it  was  not  so  then  among 
the  Gaels  according  to  their  own  laws  at  that  time,  and  according 
to  other  nations  also.     Behold  before  the  coming  of  the  children 
of  Israel  to  the  land  of  promise,  how  there  were  thirty  kings  toge- 
ther in  that  country,  and  it  not  more  than  two  hundred  miles  m 

length 

rr  Mother  of  Jesus  of  the  yellow  hair.-  DornhnaU  O'Dowd,  became  chief  of  Tire- 
In  a  short  tract,  preserved  in  the  Book  of  ragh. 

BaUymote,  fol.  7,  b.  b.  on  the  personal  ap-         '  Not  obscure  is  the  select  flock— T\aB  is 

pearance  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles,  Christ  a  religious  observation  added  merely  to  fill 

is  described  as  having  pole  Dub-Dono,  i.  e.  up  the  quatrain  and  complete  the  poem, 
dark-brown  hair,  and  long  curHng  forked         "  Though  strange  this  appears  at  this  day. 

^Q^T-^^  _See  more  of  this  subj  ect  in  O'Flaherty's 

-And  seventeen  years,!,  e.  1417,  the  very  Ogygia,  pp.  31,  3^,  and  the  tract  on  the 

year  in  which,  according  to  the  Annals  of  pedigrees  and  customs  of  Hy-Many,  pp. 

the  Four   Masters,   Tadhg,   the    son   of  63,  64,  Note  '. 

2Q2 


300 


ap  learat)  innce.  Oo'n  rip  pin  t>o  ^aipri  'Ci]\  Canaan,  6  Chandn, 
TTiac  Caini,  nnc  Naoi;  "Cfp  Uaippn^ipe  lapam  6  Dhia  t)'d  ^eallab 
t)o  Qbpam  ip  t)'d  pfol;  Ippael  lap  pin  6  Clilannuib  Ippael ;  lut)aea 
6  luoaibib;  palepcma  6  na  piiilipuinib,  a^up  an  Ualarh  Naorhra 
6  obaip  ap  Sldnuijre  t)o  beunarh  innre,  a^up  ^in  ip  ceapa6 
Chpiopc,  -\c. 

Uui5  ^iip  ob  laD  annala  eacca  na  b-plac  pa  pfop  p^pfobrap 
put)  annpo. 
Qnno  Clipipn, 

983.   C(o6  Ua  Duboa,  l?i  cuaip^ipr  Connacu  uile,  t)'eacc. 

1005.  TTIaolpuanaib  Ua  Ouboa,  "Ri  Ua  piacpac  ITIuippge. 

1096.  TTluipceapcac  Ua  Duboa,  T?i  Ua  n-QrhalgaiD,  agup  Ua 
b-piacpac,  a^up  Ceapa  occipup  epu. 

1 1 26.  Dorhnall  pionn  Ua  Oubba,  l?i  Ua  n-Qrhal^aib,  Ua  piac- 
pac, a^up  Ceapa,  t)o  bdbab  aj;  rabaipc  cpece  a  Uip  Conaill. 

1 143.  Q06,  mac  TTluipceapcaij  Ui  Duboa,  l?i  Ua  n-Qrhal^aib, 
agup  Ua  b-piacpac  an  cuaip^epu. 

Ruaibpi  ITIeap  mac  Uailci^,  mec   Nell  1  Duboa,  pi  6  l?oba 
50  Coonui^. 


'  Aodk  O'Dubhda.— The  Four  Masters 
have  collected  no  notices  of  this  chieftain. 
Our  author  obviously  extracted  this  entry 
from  the  Annals  of  Lecan,  of  which  the 
Four  Masters  had  no  copy  when  compiling 
their  work. 

"'  Maolruanaidh  OfDuhMa. — The  An- 
nals of  the  Four  Masters  notice  the  death 
of  this  chieftain  under  the  same  year, 
thus : — "  1005.  Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Aodh 
O'Dowd,  lord  of  Hy-Fiachrach  Muirisce, 
and  his  son  Maolseachlainn,  and  his  bro- 
ther Gebhennach.  the  son  of  Aodh,  died." 


I162. 

^  Muircheartach  OPDubhda The  An- 
nals of  the  Four  Masters  notice  the  death 
of  this  chieftain  at  the  same  year,  but  style 
him  lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  i,  e.  Tirawley 
only.  "  A.  D.  1096.  Muircheartach 
O'Dowd,  i.  e.  the  Cullach  [the  Boar], 
lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  was  slain  by  his 
own  tribe." 

y  Domhnall   Fionn    OPDuhlida The 

Four  Masters  agree  with  this  in  every  par- 
ticular, except  that  they  style  Domhnall 
Fionn  lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  or  Tirawley, 
only.     But  it  is  much  more  likely  that 


length  and  fifty  miles  in  breacltli.  This  country  was  called  the  Land 
of  Canaan  from  Canan,  son  of  Cam,  son  of  Noah,  afterwards  the  Land 
of  Promise,  because  God  had  promised  it  to  Abraham  and  his  seed ; 
Israel  after  that,  from  the  children  of  Israel ;  Juda3a,  from  the  Jews ; 
Palestine,  from  the  Philistines ;  and  the  Holy  Land,  from  the  work 
of  our  salvation  having  been  effected  in  it,  and  the  birth  and  cruci- 
fixion of  Christ. 

Understand  that  it  is  the  Annals  of  the  deaths  of  the  chiefs  that 
are  written  down  here,  as  follows  : 
Anno  Christi, 

983.  Aodh  O'Dubhda'',  King  of  all  North  Connaught,  died. 

1 005.  Maolruanaidh"*  O'Dubhda,  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach  of  Muirsge 
[died]. 

1096.  Muircheartach  O'Dubhda'',  King  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  Hy- 
Fiachrach,  and  Ceara,  was  slain. 

1 126.  Domhnall  Fionn  0'Dubhda^  King  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  Hy- 
Fiachrach,  and  Ceara,  was  drowned  as  he  was  carrying  off"  a  prey 
from  Tirconnell. 

1 143.  Aodh,  son  of  Muircheartach  0'Dubhda^  King  of  Hy-Amh- 
algaidh, and  the  Northern  Hy-Fiachrach  [died]. 

Ruaidhri  Mear%  son  of  Taithleach,  son  of  Niall  O'Dubhda,  was 
King  of  the  country  extending  from  the  Roba  to  the  Codhnach. 

1162. 

Duald  Mac  Firbis  is  right.  and  it  is  quite  evident  tliat  Duald  Mac 

^  Aodh,  son  of  Muircheartach  O'Dubhda.  Firbis  has  inserted  him  here  without  a 

— The  Four  Masters  agree  with  this  word  date  on  the  authority  of  the  poem  of  Giolla 

for  word,  and  enter  his  death  under  the  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  already  given.    This 

same  year.  was  the  Ruaidhri  who  violated  the  daugh- 

*  Ruaidhri  Mear,  i.  e.  Rory  or  Roger  ter  of  O'Quin,  chief  of  Clann  Cuain,  which 

the  Swift  O'Dowd.     The   Four  Masters  caused  the  separation   of  that   territory 

have  collected  no  notice  of  this  chieftain,  from  his  family. 


302 

1 1 62.  Qn  Coy^narhuij  Ua  Ouboa,  cijeajina  Ua  n-Qrhalgaib, 
occipu]^. 

1 1 80.  If  in  bliabam  fi  reafOa  Sa6b,  in^ean  mhuip^eafa,  mic 
UaiDj  Ui  maoiljiuanaiD,  bean  Uairli^  Ui  Ouboa  ;  'get  poibe  6 
Pobba  50  CoDnuij. 

1 1 8 1 .  Qn  Cof  narhui^,  mac  an  C hoynarhui^  Ui  Ouboa,  pigbarhna 
Ua  n-Qrhal^aib,  occifuf. 

1 2 13.  Oonncab  Ua  Ouboa  50-  5-coblac  56  long  d  h-lnfib  gall, 
5up  ^ab  cuan  1  n-lnif  Paicin  ap  Infib  mo6,  i  n-Urhull,  gup  bean 
a  peaponn  pen  paop  gan  cdin  ooCharal  Chpoib-bepg  UaConcabaip. 

1242.  6pian  Oeap5  Ua  Ouboa,  mac  Oonncaio,  Ri  Ua  b-piac- 
pac,  Ua  n-Ctrhal^aiO,  agup  loppuip,  occipup. 

1282.  Uairleac,  mac  TTIaoilpuanaio  Ui  Ouboa,  "Ri  Uab-piac- 
pac  agup  Ua  n-QmalgaiO,  occipup. 

1291. 


''  Cosnamhaigh  O'Dowd.  —  The  Four 
Masters  style  him  lord  of  Hy- Amhalgaidh, 
or  Tirawley,  under  the  same  year,  and  add 
that  he  was  slain  by  his  own  tribe.  This 
was  the  great  warrior  already  mentioned 
in  the  pedigree  of  the  O'Dowds,  as  having 
been  slain  at  his  own  house  on  Inis  Cua, 
by  O'Gloinin,  in  a  dispute  about  a  grey- 
hound whelp  ! 

<=  Sadhhh,  i.  e.  Sabia.  The  Four  Mas- 
ters have  no  notice  of  this  lady,  but  at  the 
year  1 192  they  notice  the  murder  of  Taith- 
leach,  or  Taichleach  O'Dowd,  who  was 
undoubtedly  her  husband,  in  these  words : 
"A.  D.  1 192.  Taithleach  O'Dowd,  lord  of 
Tirawley  and  Tireragh,  on  the  Moy,  was 
impiously  slain  by  his  own  two  grand- 
sons." Herfatherdiedini8i7.  Seep. 212. 


^  From  the  Rodhba  to  the  Codhnach — He 
was  lord  of  the  tract  of  country  extending 
from  the  river  Eobe  to  the  river  Cowney, 
which  discharges  itself  into  the  bay  of 
Sligo,  at  Drumcliff.  This,  as  already  often 
remarked,  was  the  original  extent  of 
O'Dowd's  country. 

®  Cos7iamhaigh,  son  of  Cosnamhaigh — 
There  is  no  notice  of  him  in  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters. 

f  Donnchadh  0''Did>hda There  is  no 

memorial  of  this  great  exploit  in  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters.  It  was  evidently 
extracted  by  our  author,  Duald  Mac  Fir- 
bis,  from  the  Annals  of  Lecan,  not  now  to 
be  found.  The  Four  Masters  have  one 
notice  of  this  Donnchadh  at  the  year  1207, 
where  they  style  him  lord  of  Tirawley 


3^3 


1 1 62.  Cosnamhaiglib  O'Dubhda,  heir  apparent  of  Hy-Amlialgaidh, 
was  slain. 

1 180.  In  this  year  departed  Sadhbh"",  daughter  of  Muirgheas,  son 
of  Tadhg  O'Maoilruanaidh,  and  the  wife  of  Taithleach  O'Dubhda,  who 
possessed  the  country  extending  from  the  Robhba  to  the  Codhnach''. 

n8i.  Cosnamhaigh,  son  of  Cosnamhaigh^  O'Dubhda,  heir  appa- 
rent of  the  Hy- Amhalgaidh,  was  slain. 

1 2 1 3.  Donnchadh  O'Dubhda^  sailed  with  a  fleet  of  fifty-six  ships 
from  the  Insi  GalP,  and  landed  on  Inis  Raithin'',  one  of  the  Insi 
Modh',  in  UmhalP',  and  wrested  his  own  land  free  of  tribute  from 
Cathal  Croibhdhearg"  O'Conor. 

1 242.  Brian  Dearg  O'Dubhda',  son  of  Donnchadh,  King  of  Hy- 
Fiachrach,  Hy- Amhalgaidh,  and  lorrus,  was  slain. 

1282.  Taithleach,  son  of  Maolruanaidh  O'Dubhda"",  King  of  Hy- 
Fiachrach  and  Hy- Amhalgaidh,  was  slain. 

1291. 


and  Tireragh. 

^Insi  Gall,  i.  e.  the  Hebrides,  or  western 

islands   of  Scotland See    O'Flalierty's 

Ogygia,  Part  HI.,  c.  63  and  75. 

^  Inis  Baithin. — This  island,  wlaich  is 
also  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  at  the  year  1235,  is  now  called 
Inishraher,  and  is  situated  in  the  bay  of 
Westport,  in  the  west  of  the  county  of 
Mayo. — See  Ordnance  Map  of  that  county, 
sheet  87. 

'  Insi  Modh. — This  is  the  ancient  and 
present  Irish  name  of  the  islands  in  Clew 
Bay,  in  the  west  of  the  county  of  Mayo. 

i  Umhall.  —  This  territory,  which  was 
the  patrimonial  inheritance  of  the  family 
of  O'Malley,  is  now  popularly  called  the 
Owles See  p.  181,  Note  *. 


^  Cathal  Croibhdhearg,  i.  e.  Cahill,  or 
Charles  the  Redhanded  O'Conor,  King  of 
Connaught.  He  died  in  1234.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  passage  is,  that  O'Dowd  com- 
pelled the  King  of  Connaught  to  give  up 
every  claim  to  the  tributes  which  the 
latter  demanded  out  of  the  principality  of 
Hy-Fiachrach. 

^  Brian  Dearg,  i.  e.  Brian  the  Eed.  His 
death  is  thus  entered  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  at  the  same  year  : — "A.  D. 
1242.  Brian  Dearg,  the  son  of  Donnchadh 
O'Dowd,  lord  of  Tireragh,  Tirawley,  and 
Irrus,  was  killed  on  the  road,  while  on  his 
pilgrimage  to  the  abbey  of  Boyle." 

™  Taithleach,  son  of  Maolruanaidh 
O'Dubhda. — This  is  the  celebrated  Taith- 
leach O'Dowd,  surnamed  Muaidhe,  or  of 


304 

1291.  Concobaji  Conallac  Ua  Ouboa,  n^eapna  Ua  b-piacpac 
t)o  bd6a6  ap  Sionuinn, 

1337.  OonncaD  TTlop  Ua  Ouboa,  dbbap  pf^  Ua  b-piacpac, 
t)'eacc. 

1350.  Uilliann  Ua  Dubt»a,  Gfpoc  Cille  h-Qlaib,  t)o  eacc. 

1354.  bpian  6  Duboa,  Pi  Ua  b-piacpac  a^uy^  Ua  n-Qrhalgaib, 
t>'e5  'na  ri^  pen  lap  m-bec  84  bliabna  1  t)-n^eapnup. 

1380.  Oorhnall  Clepeac,  mac  bpiain  Ui  Oubt)a,  Ri  Ua  b-piac- 
pac  a5up  Ua  n-Qrhal^aib,  b'e^  lap  b-plainup  36  bliaban. 

141 7.  Ruampi,  mac  Dorhnaill  Clepi^,  l?i  Ua  b-piacpac,  a^up 
Ua  n-Qrhal^aiD,  o'e^  i  n-Dim  Nell,  lap  b-placiup  37  bhabaa 

1432.  Ua65  Riabac  Ua  Diiboa,  mac  Oorhnall  Clepij,  Pi  Ua 
b-piacpac  o'e^  1  n-Gpgip  Qbann,  lap  b-plarup  15  bliaban.  Injean 
Ui  miidille  mdcaip  Puaibpi  peampdice,  agup  an  Uaibg  pm. 

1432. 


tlie  river  Moy.  He  was  slain  by  Adam 
Cusack  in  1282,  and  the  Four  Masters 
have  the  following  notice  of  him : — "  A.  D. 
1282.  Taithleach,  the  son  of  Maolruanaidh 
O'Dowd,  lord  of  Tireragh,  the  most  hos- 
pitable and  warlike  of  his  tribe  in  his  time, 
was  slain  by  Adam  Cusack  on  the  strand 
of  Traigh  Eothaile."  His  death  is  also 
noticed  in  the  Historia  Familise  De  Burgo, 
preserved  in  the  MS.  Library  of  Trinity 
College,  Dublin,  in  the  following  words  : — 
"  Bellum  apud  Mayn  [Moyne]  de  Kilro 
per  Adam  Cymsog  ex  una  parte  et  Wil- 
liam Bareth  ex  altera  parte,  ubi  vulnera- 
tus  et  captus  est  idem  William,  et  postea 
de  hiis  vulneribus  mortuus  fuit  Adam 
Fleming,  et  multi  alii.  A.  D.  1282.  Occi- 
ditur  Tailteach  O'Dubda  per  Adam  Cim- 


sog."  In  a  notice  inserted  in  a  more 
modern  hand  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  it  is 
stated  that  this  Taithleach  O'Dowd  Avas 
slain  at  Bel  atha  Tailtigh,  in  Coillte 
Lughna,  which  seems  correct,  as  the  lands 
of  Coillte  Lughna,  or  Luighne,  border  on 
the  great  strand  of  Traigh  Eothaile. 

^  Conchobhar  Conallach,  i.  e.  Conor  the 
Conallian,  so  called  because  he  was  fos- 
tered in  Tirconnell.  The  Four  Masters 
notice  his  death  in  the  same  Avords  used 
by  our  author  in  the  text. 

°  Donnchadh  Mor The  Four  Masters 

agree  with  this. 

P  William  0''Di(bhda,  Bishop  o/*  Killala. 
— The  Four  Masters  agree. 

1  Brian  O'Duhhda This  was  the  cele- 
brated Sen  Bhrian,  or  old  Brian  O'Dowd, 


3^5 

1 291-  Concliobliar  Conallacli"  O'Dublicla,  lord  of  Hy-Fiachrach, 
was  drowned  in  the  Shannon. 

1337.  Donnchadh  Mor  0'Dubhda°,  heir  apparent  to  the  throne 
of  Hy-Fiachrach,  died. 

1350.  WilHam  O'Dubhda,  Bishop  of  Killala'',  died. 

1534.  Brian  O'Dubhda'',  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach  and  Hy-Amhal- 
gaidh,  died  in  his  own  house  after  having  been  eighty-four  [recte 
fifty-four]  years  in  the  lordship. 

1380.  Domhnall  Clereach"",  son  of  Brian  O'Dubhda,  King  of  Hy- 
Fiachrach  and  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  died  after  a  reign  of  thirty-six  years. 

1417.  Ruaidhri",  son  of  Domhnall  Clereach  O'Dubhda,  King  of 
Hy-Fiachrach  and  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  died  at  Dun  Neill  after  a  reign 
of  thirty  seven  years. 

1432.  Tadhg  Riabhach'  O'Dubhda,  son  of  Domhnall  Clereach 
King  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  died  at  Esgir  Abhann"  after  a  reign  of  fifteen 
years.  The  daughter  of  O'Malley  was  the  mother  of  tlie  aforesaid 
Ruaidhri  and  Tadhg. 

Maolruanaidh, 

who  drove  tlie  English  entirely  out  of  Tire-  adds  that  he  died  at  Dun  Neill. 

ragh.     The  Four  Masters  notice  his  death  *  Ruaidhri The  Four  Masters  agree 

at  1354,  but  do  not  add  the  length  of  his  with  this  date.     The  list  in  the  Book  of 

reign,  and  we  have  already  seen  that  he  Lecan   gives   him   a   reign    of  forty-two 

could  not  have  reigned  so  long  as  eighty-  years,    and   adds   that   the    daughter    of 

four  years.     In  a  list  of  the  chiefs  of  the  O'Malley  was  his  mother. 
O'Dowd  family,  inserted  in  a  modern  hand         '  Tadhg  Riabhach. — This  is  the  chief  to 

in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  it  is  stated  that  he  whom  Giollalosa  Mor  Mac  Firbis  addressed 

was  King  of  Hy-Fiachrach  for  fifty-four  his  poem  in  141 7,  and  for  whom  the  Book 

years,  which  is  no  doubt  the  true  length  of  of  Lecan  was  compiled, 
his  reign.  u  ^g^^y  Abhann.  —  In  the  list  in  the 

■"  Domhnall  Clereach.  — The  Four  Mas-  Book  of  Lecan  this  place  is  called  In  is 

ters  agree  in  this  date  of  his  death,  but  /S^reMo^^z/z,  which,  as  we  have  already  seen, 

the  list  m  the  Book  of  Lecan  gives  him  a  was  one  of  the  ancient  names  of  Inishcronu, 

reign  of  forty-nine  years  and  a  half,  and  an  old  castle  near  the  river  Moy  in  Tireragh. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2  R 


3o6 


maolpuanaiD,  mac  r?\]ai6|ii  Ui  Ouboa,  Rf  Uipe  piacpac  i8 
bliabna.  In^ean  TTlec  ^oipoelb  a  rhjcaip.  Qnno  1432  t)o  pineaD 
Ua  Dub6a  6e  yo. 

Oorhnall  baile  Ui  Choicil  'na  Ua  Oubt)a  peace  m-blia6na, 
a^uf  a  n-anno  1447  00  pineab  Ua  Duboa  De  po. 

Ua65  5ui6e,  mac  Uaibg  Riabai^,  3  bliabna. 

Seaan  '^lay,  a  beapbpauaip,  14  bliabna. 

Gumonn,  mac  an  Chopnarhui^,  CU15  peaccmuine  ip  ler-blia6ain. 

Oorhnall  ballac,  bliabain. 

bpian  Cam,  mac  an  Chopnamui^,  2  bliabam. 

Go^an  Caoc,  mac  l?uai6pi,  14. 

Uilliam,  mac  OomnuiU  ballai^,  lec-bliabain. 

bpian  O5,  lec-blia6ain. 

Oonncab  Uluac,  bbabam. 

TTlajnup,  mac  UaiD^  buiohe,  bliabain. 

pelim, 


"  Maolruanaidh. — The  list  in  tlie  Book 
of  Lecan  agrees  with  this,  and  adds  that 
he  died  at  Liathmhuine,  now  Leafony,  in 
the  parish  of  KUglass,  and  barony  of  Ti- 
reragh.  —  See  Ordnance  Map  of  Sligo, 
sheet  1 1 . 

"'  Domhnall  of  Baile  Ui  Choitil,  i.  e. 
Donell,  or  Daniel  O'Dowd,  of  Cottlestown. 
It  is  added  in  the  list  inserted  in  a  modern 
hand  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  that  he  died 
at  BaUe  Ui  Choitil,  and  that  the  daughter 
of  Maghnus,  son  of  Cathal  Og  0' Conor, 
was  his  mother, 

'^  Tadhg  Buidhe.  —  It  is  added  in  the 
list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  that  his  mother 
was  the  daughter  of  Sir  Redmond  Burke, 
and  that  he  was  slain  by  the  posterity  of 
Ruaidhri  O'Dowd.  —  See  Depositions  of 


Redmond  Burke,  already  given  in  p.  1 24. 

y  John  Glas,  i.  e.  John  the  Green.  The 
list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  adds  that  he  died 
at  Inis  Sgreabhainn,  now  Inishcrone. 

"^  Edmond,  son  of  Cosnamhach.  —  The 
list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  adds  that  the 
daughter  of  Conchobhar  Mac  Donogh  was 
his  mother,  and  that  he  died  at  Ard  na 
n-glass,  now  Ardnaglass,  in  the  north  of 
the  parish  of  Skreen,  in  Tireragh,  where 
the  extensive  ruins  of  his  castle  are  still 
visible. 

*  Domhnall  Bullach The  list  in  the 

Book  of  Lecan  adds  that  the  daughter  of 
Mac  Wattin  [Barrett]  was  his  mother, 
and  that  he  died  at  Dun  Neill. 

^  Brian  Cam — The  list  in  the  Book  of 
Lecan  adds  that  the  daughter  of  Concho- 


?>^7 


Maolruanaidli',  son  of  Ruaidhri  O'Dubhda,  was  lord  of  TirFiach- 
rach  for  eighteen  years.  The  daughter  of  Mac  Costello  was  his 
mother.     He  was  made  O'Dubhda  in  the  year  1432. 

Domhnall  of  Baile  Ui  Choitir,  was  O'Dubhda  for  seven  years, 
and  was  made  O'Dubhda  in  the  year  1447. 

Tadhg  Buidhe'',  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach,  three  years. 

John  Glas^  his  brother,  fourteen  years. 

Edmond,  son  of  Cosnamhach^  half  a  year  and  five  weeks. 

Domhnall  Ballach^,  one  year. 

Brian  Cam,  son  of  Cosnamhach,  two  years'*. 

Eoghan  Caoch^  son  of  Ruaidhri,  fourteen  years. 

William,  son  of  Domhnall  Ballach'',  half  a  year. 

Brian  Og^,  half  a  year.  , 

Donnchadh  Ultach^  one  year. 

Maghnus,  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe^  one  year. 

Fehm, 


bhar  Mac  Donogh  was  his  mother,  and 
that  he  died  at  Ard  na  n-glass. 

*=  Eoghan  Caoch The  list  in  the  Book 

of  Lecan  adds,  that  the  daughter  of  John 
O' Conor  was  his  mother,  and  that  he  was 
slain  by  O'Donnell.  He  was  slain,  ac- 
cording to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
ters, at  Sligo,  in  the  year  1495,  when  he 
marched  his  forces  to  the  relief  of  that 
town,  then  besieged  by  Conn,  the  son  of 
Hugh  Eoe  O'DonneU. 

^  William,  son  of  Donihnall  Ballach — 
He  died,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  in  the  year  1496,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Brian  Og,  the  son  of  Brian 
O'Dowd. 

^  Brian  Og The  list  in  the  Book  of 

Lecan   adds,    that  the  daughter  of  Mac 


Wattin  [Barrett]  was  his  mother,  that 
he  was  chief  for  one  year,  and  that  he  died 
at  the  Longphort,  now  Longlbrd  castle, 
in  the  parish  of  Dromard. 

f  Donnchadh  Ultach The  list  in  the 

Book  of  Lecan  adds  that  the  daughter  of 
Cormac  O'Hara  was  his  mother,  and  that 
he  died  at  Inis  Sgreabhainn,  now  Inish- 
crone,  near  the  Moy. 

s  Maghnus,  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe. — The 
list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  adds,  that  the 
daughter  of  Mac  Jordan  was  his  mother, 
and  that  he  died  at  Ard  na  riagh.  The 
date  of  his  death  is  not  given  by  the  Four 
Masters,  but  calculating  by  the  length  ol' 
the  reigns  we  must  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  died  about  the  year  1500.  The 
O'Dowds  held  the  castle  of  Ardnarea  till 


2R2 


3o8 

pelim,  mac  UaiDj  6ui6e,  19. 

CoTicabap,  naac  DiapmaDa,  nmc  TTIaoiliiuanaiD,  30. 

Gojan,  mac  ConcaBaip,  7. 

Caral  Dub,  mac  Concabaip. 

Pioja  Connacc  00  cloinn  piacpac  umopjio,  ace  56  t)o  y^yiiobup 
lat)  ceana,  ay  dil  learn  labaipu  nfap  poiplecne  oppa  punna,  d 
I'leacuaib  peanca6  oile. 

piacpa,  mac  Gauac  TTluijrheaboin,  12  bliaboin  i  pi^e  Connacc. 
lap  mapbao  bVipiain,  a  beapbparap,  la  Lai^nib,  agiip  lap  m-bec 
t)'  piacpa  'n  a  ruaipgnib  cara  1  n-iona6  bhpiain  ag  a  n-t)eapbpd- 
raip  ele,  .1.  Niall  Naoigiallac,  l?i  Gpeann  ;  t)o  cuai6  Piacpa  Do 
robac  ciopa  an  pi^  Nell  ip  in  TTIiimain.  Do  ciiippioo  TTlmrhni^ 
cau  Caonpai^e  pe  piacpa,  a^up  po  bpipiob  an  cac  pe  b-piacpa 
oppo,  agup  gabap  gell  TTIuman.  Ctcc  ceana  t)o  ^onab  piacpa,  ip 
in  car  pm,  pe  Tllaige  TTleapcopaD,  t)o  Gupnuib,  a^up  lompaip  50 
^-cop^up  a^up  gialla  lep  50   Ueampai^ ;   a^up  t)o  pellpao  gell 

TTIuman 


the  year  1533,  when  it  was  assaulted  by 
night  and  taken  from  them  by  the  sons  of 
Thomas  Burke  ;  and  it  appears  that  the 
O'Dowds  were  never  after  able  to  recover 
it.  They  still,  however,  had  an  anxious 
expectation  of  regaining  it,  but  so  feeble 
did  they  become  in  comparison  to  the 
Burkes  about  this  period,  that  their  ex- 
pectation of  Ardnarea  became  a  proverb, 
or  by-word  in  the  country.  Thus,  when 
any  person  is  represented  as  expecting  to 
obtain  any  thing  of  which  he  has  not  the 
slightest  prospect,  it  is  said  that  his  look 
out  is  like  the  expectation  of  O'Dowd  to 
regain  Ardnarea.  ITIap  Si'nl  Ui  Dhuboa 
le  h-Qpo  na  piaj. 


^  Felim,  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe The  list 

in  the  Book  of  Lecan  gives  him  but  a 
reign  of  nine  years,  but  adds  that  he  and 
his  predecessor,  Maghnus,  were  born  of 
the  same  mother,  and  that  he  died  at  Ard 
na  riagh. 

^  Co7ichobhar,  son   of  Diarynaid The 

list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  adds,  that  he 
died  in  Mainister  na  Maighne  [the  abbey 
of  Moyne]  in  the  habit  of  St.  Francis. 

J  Eoghan,  son  ofConchohhar The  Avriter 

of  the  list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan  adds,  that 
Margaret,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  Roe 
Burke,  was  his  mother,  and  that  he  was 
married  to  Sadhbh,  or  Sabia,  the  daughter 
of  Walter,  the  son  of  Kichard  Burke,  and 


309 


Felim,  son  of  Tadhg  Buidhe'',  nineteen  years. 

Conchobliar,  son  of  Diarmaid',  son  of  Maolruanaidh,  thirty  years. 

Eoghan,  son  of  Conchobliar^  seven  years. 

Cathal  Dubh,  son  of  Conchobhar". 

Here  follows  a  list  o/"the  Kings  of  Connaught  of  the  Clann  Fi- 
achrach ;  for  though  I  have  given  them  already',  I  wish  to  speak  of 
them  more  fully  here  from  the  remains  of  other  historians. 

Fiachra,  son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin"",  was  twelve  years 
in  the  government  of  Connaught.  After  his  brother  Brian  had  been 
slain  by  the  Lagenians,  Fiachra  had  served  in  his  place  as  general  of 
battle  to  their  other  brother,  namely,  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages, 
King  of  Ireland ;  Fiachra  went  to  exact  the  rents  of  King  Niall  into 
Munster;  and  the  Momonians  fought  the  battle  of  Caonraighe"  against 
Fiachra,  in  which  battle  he  defeated  them  and  took  the  hostages  of 
Munster.  Howbeit,  Fiachra  was  wounded  in  that  battle  by  Maighe 
Meascoradh,  one  of  the  Ernaans°,  and  he  returned  with  the  hostages 
in  triumph  for  Tara ;  but  the  Munster  hostages  acted  treacherously 

towards 


that  they  were  buried  together  at  Moyne ; 
and  the  writer,  who  evidently  knew  them, 
"prays  that  God  may  have  mercy  on 
them."  This  Eoghan  O'Dowd  was  living 
in  the  year  1536,  in  which  year,  according 
to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  his 
wife,  the  daughter  of  Walter  Burke,  was 
taken  prisoner  by  O'Donnell. 

^  Cathal  Dubh,  son  of  Conchohhar — He 
is  the  last  chief  given  by  the  writer  of  the 
list  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and  as  he  does 
not  add  the  length  of  his  reign,  we  may 
fairly  assume  that  they  were  cotemporaries. 
It  is  stated  in  the  Historia  Familise  De 
Burgo  that   this   Cathal   Dubh  O'Dowd 


consented  to  pay  five  marks  a  year  to  the 
Lower  Mac  William  as  a  ciop  copanca, 
i.  e.  rent  for  protection — See  Addenda  to 
this  volume. 

1  For  though  I  have  given  them  already 

The  list  here  alluded  to  will  be  found  from 
p.  93  to  95  of  this  volume. 

™  Fiachra,  son   of  Eochaidh   Muigk- 

mheadhoin See  Pedigree  of  O'Dowd  in 

the  Addenda  to  this  volume. 

'^  Caenraighe,  now  Keury,  a  barony  in 
the  county  of  Limerick,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Shannon. 

°  Ernaans,  a  celebrated  Munster  tribe 
seated  in  Desmond. 


310 


TTlurhan  aip  i  n-a  oraplije,  lap  na  pctjbail  i  m-bao^al,  50  po  abnaic- 
[MoD  beo  po  caliTiain  e,  i  n-Uib  TlTec  Uaip  bpej,  guji  h-oiOigeab  6 
arhluib. 

Oaui  mac  piacpac  peaTn]idiue,  ^abuip  dipOpi^e  Connacr  ajup 
6]ieann  a  Connaccaib,  jieTYieap  23  bliabna,  co  n-eupbail  05  Sliab 
Galpa  t)o  paignen  cinui^e. 

Qrhal^aib,  Tnac  piacpac,  mic  Garac  TTluijrheaooin,  ceo  pi  t)o 
Connaccaib  t)o  cpeo  00  naorh  paDpaig.  Uai6  airiTTim^reap  Uip 
Qrhal^aba.     32  bliabain  t)o  1  pije  Connacc  ^up  65  50  Tnair. 

Oilill  TTlolc,  mac  Oari,  mic  piacpac,  20  blia6ain  i  pige  Chon- 
nacc  ceaDup,  a^up  pice  bliabain  ele  a  pi^e  Gpeann.  lap  pin 
copcliaip  1  5-cac  Ocha  pe  Cii^aib,  mac  Caojaipe,  agup  pe  TTluip- 
ceapcac  mac  Gapca,  ajup  pe  peap^up  Ceppbeiil,  mac  Connuill 
Cpemcuinn,  agup  pe  piacpa  lonn,  l?i  Oail  Qpaibe. 

Go^an 


P  Hy-Mac  Uais,  in  Bregia,  now  the 
barony  of  Moygoish,  in  the  north  of  the 
county  of  Westmeath ;  but  our  author 
must  be  wrong  in  placing  it  in  Bregia,  for 
Bregia,  which  comprised  only  five  triocha 
ceads  or  baronies  of  East  Meath,  could  not 
have  extended  so  far  to  the  west  as  to 
comprise  the  present  barony  of  Ui  Mac 
Uais,  or  Moygoish. 

^  Dathi^  son  of  the  aforesaid  Fiackra 

For  the  history  of  Dathi  see  p.  17  to  33 
of  this  volume, 

^  Amhalgaidh^  son  of  Fiachra He  is 

mentioned  by  Jocelin  in  the  Life  of  St. 
Patrick,  c.  59,  and  also  by  the  writer  of 
the  Tripartite  Life  of  Pati'ick,  as  converted 
to  Christianity  by  the  Irish  apostle,  and 
all  the  ancient  lives  of  this  saint  would 
indicate  that  his  conversion  took  place  in 


the  year  434.  —  See  Ussher's  Primordia, 
p.  1 103.  He  is  also  mentioned  in  four 
ancient  catalogues  of  the  Kings  of  Con- 
naught,  referred  to  by  Colgan  in  his  Trias 
Thaum.,  p.  180,  Note  138.  He  died,  ac- 
cording to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters, 
in  the  year  449,  that  is,  fifteen  years  after 
his  conversion. 

*  Tir-Amhalgaidh  is  named  from  him, 
now  Tirawley.  Ussher,  in  treating  of  the 
conversion  of  the  sons  of  Amhalgaidh, 
states  the  same.  "  Sed  maxime  memo'ra- 
bile  est,  quod  de  septem  filiis  Amalgaidh, 
sive  Amhlaich,  regis  Connacise(a  quo  trac- 
tus  terrse  in  eadem  provincia  5rire=aulp 
dictus  nomen  accepisse  putatur)  et  xii. 
hominum  millibus  uno  die  ad  fidem  a  Pa- 
tricio conversis  et  baptizatis  refertur  :  cui 
vopulo  noviter  ad  Christum  converse  ma- 


311 

towards  him,  having  found  hito  unprotected  in  his  sickness,  and 
they  buried  him  ahve  in  the  earth  in  Hy-Mac  Uais,  in  Bregia",  and 
thus  did  he  fall  a  victim ! 

Dathi,  son  of  the  aforesaid  Fiachra'',  assumed  the  chief  govern- 
ment of  Connaught  and  of  Ireland,  in  Ccmnaught,  for  a  period  of 
twenty-three  years,  when  he  was  killed  at  the  mountain  of  the  Alps 
by  a  flash  of  lightning. 

Amhalgaidh,  son  of  Fiachra'',  son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin, 
the  first  of  the  Connaught  kings  who  believed  on  the  preaching  of 
St.  Patrick.  Tir  Amhalgaidh  is  named  from  him*.  He  was  thirty- 
two  years  in  the  government  of  Connaught  when  he  died  well. 

Oilioll  Molf ,  son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  was  first,  for  twenty 
years  in  the  kingdom  of  Connaught,  and  afterwards,  twenty  years 
more  in  the  monarchy  of  Ireland.  After  this  he  was  slain  in  the 
battle  of  Ocha,  by  Lughaidh,  son  of  Laoghaire",  Muircheartach" 
Mac  Earca,  Fergus  Ceirrbheul,  son  of  Conall  Cremhthuinn",  and 

Fiachra  Lonn,  King  of  Dal  Araidhe''. 

Eoghan 

gistrum  Mancenum,  virum  religiosum  et  in  the  year  483,  and  died,  according  to 

optime   in   scripturis  Sanctis  exercitatum,  O'Flaherty,  in  508. 

(Jocelin,  c.  59)  ille  praefecisse  legitur." —         ^  Muircheartach This  was  the  cele- 

Primo7-dia,  p.  864.  For  some  account  of  brated  Muircheartach  Mor  Mac  Earca, — 
the  acts  of  St.  Patrick  in  the  country  of  the  great  grandson  of  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Tirawley  and  the  neighbouring  districts,  Hostages, — who  became  monarch  of  Ire- 
see  Addenda  to  this  volume.  land  in  the  year  513,  and  reigned  twenty- 

'  Oilioll  Molt.  —  This  monarch  died  in  ty-one  years. — See  Annals  of  Tighernach, 

the  year  483,  and  had  been,   therefore,  and  O'Flaherty's  Ogygia,  p.  iii.  c.  93. 

raised  to  the  throne  of  Connaught  in  the  ™    Fergus    Ceirrbheul,    son    of  Conall 

year  443  ;  from  which  it  would  appear      Cremhthuinn He  was  the  grandson  of 

that  Amhalgaidh  must  have  resigned  the  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  and  the  father 

sceptre  of  Connaught  to  him  six  years  of  the  monarch  Diarmaid,  who  succeeded 

before  his  death.  in  the  year  544. 

"  Lughaidh,  son  of  Laoghaire He  sue-  ^  Fiachra  Lonn,  King  of  Dal  Araidhe — 

ceeded  Oilioll  Molt  as  monarch  of  Ireland  He  is  mentioned  in  the  Annals   of  the 


312 


Go^an  beul,  mac  Ceallai^,  mic  Oililla  ITluilc,  36  bliabna  i 
jii^e  Connacc,  50  D-copcaip  1  5-cac  Sli^i^e  pe  peap^uf  a^uy^  pe 
Oorhnall  Da  rhac  TTlhuipceaprai^  mic  Gapca. 

Oilill  lanbanna,  no  Qnbanna,  mac  TTluipeaboij;,  niic  Gojain 
bel,  TYiic  Ceallai^,  ttiic  Oilella  TTlinlc,  naoi  TYi-blia6na,  50  t)-cop- 
caip  la  h-QoD,  mac  Garac  Uiopmcapna,  Do  ywl  bhpiam,  rhic 
Garac  TTluijimeaboin. 

Colman,  mac  Cobuai^,  mic  ^oibmnn,  mic  Conuill,  mic  Gojam, 
mic  Game  bpic,  mic  Dan,  21  bliabam  ^  pi^e,  ^up  ruic  1  5-cac 
Chinnbuja,  pe  "Rajallac,  mac  Uaoac,  mic  Qo6a. 

Caip^neiin,  mac  Colmain,  mic  Cobuai^,  peace  m-blia6na  i  pi^e 
Connacc,  ^up  ruir. 

guaipe  QiDne,  mac  Colmain,  mic  Cobcai^,  13  bliaona  1  pije 

Connacc, 


Four  Masters  at  the .  year  478,  under 
which  the  following  notice  of  the  battle  of 
Ocha  is  given  :— "  A.  D.  478.  OilioU  Molt, 
the  son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  after 
having  been  twenty  years  on  the  throne 
of  Ireland,  was  slain  in  the  battle  of  Ocha 
by  Lughaidh,  the  son  of  Laoghaire,  Muir- 
cheartach  Mac  Earca,  Fergus  Cerbhel,  son 
of  Conall  Cremthainne,  Fiachra  Lonn,  son 
of  Laoghaire,  King  of  Dal  n-Araidhe, 
and  Cremhthann,  son  of  Enna  Cennsellach, 
King  of  Leinster.  It  was  on  this  occasion 
that  the  territories  of  Lee  and  Cairloegh 
were  given  to  Fiachra,  as  a  territorial 
reward  for  \_kis  services  in']  the  battle." 
The  reader  is  referred  to  the  Rerum  Hi- 
bernicarum  Scrip  tores,  vol.  iii.  pp.  126, 
127,  for  a  strange  translation  of  this  plain 
passage,  and  for  additional  references  to 
the  battle  of  Ocha.     The  country  of  Dal 


Araidhe,  of  which  Fiachra  Lonn  was  king, 
extended,  according  to  the  ancient  Irish 
authorities,  from  Newry  to  the  mountain 
Mis,  now  Slemmish,  in  the  county  of  An- 
trim, and  the  territory  of  Lee,  which  he 
got  as  a  reward  for  his  services  in  the 
battle,  was  situated  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river  Bann,  in  the  present  county  of 
Londonderry. 

y  The  battle  of  Sligeach,  i.  e.  of  Sligo 
This  battle  was  fought,  according  to  the 
Four  Masters,  in  the  year  537,  at  which 
year,  they  add,  that  Fergus  and  Domhnall 
were  assisted  in  this  battle  by  Ainmire, 
son  of  Sedna,  and  Ainnidh,  son  of  Duach 
Galach. 

^  Fergus  and  Domlmall.  —  They  after- 
wards became  joint  monarchs  of  Ireland, 
and  reigned  one  year,  A.  D.  ^^^dx^. 

^  OilioU  lonbhanna.  — According  to  the 


3^3 


Eoghan  Beul,  son  of  Ceallach,  son  of  Oilioll  Molt,  was  thirty 
years  in  the  government  of  Connaught,  when  he  fell  in  the  battle  of 
Sligeach^  by  Fergus  and  DomhnalP,  two  sons  of  Muircheartach  Mac 
Earca. 

Oilioll  lanbhanna*,  or  Anbhanna,  son  of  Muireadhach,  son  of 
Eoghan  Benl,  son  of  Ceallach,  son  of  Oilioll  Molt,  nine  years,  when 
he  fell  by  Aodh,  son  of  Eochaidh  Tiormcharna,  of  the  race  of  Brian, 
son  of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin. 

Colman,  son  of  Cobhthach",  son  of  Goibhnenn,  son  of  Conall,  son 
of  Eoghan,  son  of  Eochaidh  Breac,  son  of  Dathi,  was  twenty-one 
years  in  the  government  of  Connanght,  when  he  fell  in  the  battle  of 
Ceann  Biigha'',  by  Raghallach,  son  of  Uadach,  son  of  Aodh. 

Lairgneun,  son  of  Colman*^,  son  of  Cobhthach,  was  seven  years  in 
the  government  of  Connaught  when  he  fell. 

Guaire  Aidhne,  son  of  Colman^,  son  of  Cobhthach,  was  thirteen 

years 


Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  he  was  slain 
in  the  battle  of  Cuil  Conaire,  in  the  terri- 
tory of  Ceara,  in  the  year  544,  by  Fergus 
and  Domhnall,  the  two  sons  of  Muirchear- 
tach Mac  Earca.  Their  words  are  :  — 
"  A.  D.  544.  The  battle  of  Cuil  Conaire, 
in  Ceara,  was  fought  by  Fergus  and  Domh- 
nall, the  two  sons  of  Muircheartach  Mac 
Earca,  against  Ailill  Inbanda,  King  of 
Connaught,  and  Aodh  Fortamhail,  in  which 
Ailill  and  Aodh  were  slain." 

''  Colman,  son  of  CohMiach. — He  was  the 
father  of  the  celebrated  Guaire  Aidhne, 
King  of  Connaught,  and  ancestor  of  the 
O'Heynes  and  other  families  in  South 
Hy-Fiachrach ;  but,  strange  to  say,  there 
is  no  notice  of  him  in  the  Irish  Annals. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2 


*^  Ceann  Bugha,  now  Cambo,  recte  Can- 
boe,  near  Roscommon.  The  Editor  has 
not  been  able  to  discover  the  date  of  this 
battle  in  the  authentic  annals. 

^  Lairgneun,  son  of  Colman. — The  Four 
Masters  have  collected  no  notice  of  this 
king. 

^  Guaire  Aidhne,  son  of  Colman This 

is  the  renowned  Guaire,  King  of  Con- 
naught, who  is  celebrated  by  the  Irish 
poets  as  the  very  personification  of  hospi- 
tality and  generosity.  The  reader  will 
find  several  stories  relating  to  him  in 
Keating's  History  of  Ireland,  reign  of 
Conall  and  Ceallach.  He  was  defeated  in 
the  battle  of  Carn  Conaill,  in  his  own  ter- 
ritory   of  Aidhne,   in  the  year  645,   by 

s 


314 

Connacr,  guji  eu^  50  h-airpi^eac,  agup  po  h-a6naicea6  1  j-Cluain 
TTlec  Noi]^  50  n-onoiji  ajuy^  aiprhiDin  rhoip. 

Ounca6  TTluipfje,  mac  Uiobpaioe,  imc  TTlaoilouin  (no  TTlaoil- 
Duib),  mic  piacpac  Bal^ai^,  mic  Oaci,  mic  piacpac,  cecpe  bliab- 
na  1  pi^e  Connacc,  ^up  ruiu  1  5-cac  Copuinn  pe  peapgup, 
ngeapna  Clnnel  Chaipbpe. 

peapjal  QiDne,  mac  Qpcjaile,  mic  S^^P^  Qi6ne,  mic  Colmdin, 
13  bliabna,  ^up  eu^. 

lnt)peaccac,  mac  Ouncaba  TTliiipp^e,  mic  Uiobpame,  Da  bliab- 
ain  t)o  I  pi^e,  ^up  cuic  pe  peap^al,  mac  Loin^pi^,  ci^eapna 
Clnnel  Conuill,  a^up  pe  peap^al,  mac  TTlaoilDuin,  n^eapna 
Cliineoil  Gojam. 

Oilill,  mac  lonnpacrai^,  mic  Ouncaba  muippje,  occ  m-blia6na 
00  1  pi^e  Connacr,  50  n-eapbailc,  lap  n-Oeaj-bearaiD. 

Oonncauaij, 


Diarmaid,  son  of  King  Aodh  Slaine. 
Our  authorities  differ  materially  in  the 
year  of  Guaire's  death,  but  the  true  year 
seems  to  be  662,  though  Colgan,  in  giving 
the  life  of  his  cotemporary,  St.  Colman 
Mac  Duach,  Acta  Sanctorum^  p.  219,  n.  39, 
says  that  he  died  in  642.  Dr.  0' Conor, 
in  a  note  upon  the  entry  of  his  death  in 
the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  at  the 
year  662,  gives  a  list  of  the  Kings  of  Con- 
naught  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race  down  to 
Guaire,  in  which  he  omits  Lairgneun,  son 
of  Colman,  mentioned  above  in  Note  ^. 
Dr.  O'Conor  here  says  that  Keating  errs 
in  calling  St.  Colman  the  brother  of  King 
Guaire  Aidhne,  but  he  should  have  known 
that  Keating  himself  does  not  call  him  so, 
although  his  translator  ignorantly  does  ; 


for  the  word  bpdraip,  which  he  uses, 
meant  in  his  time,  and  still  means  all  over 
the  south  of  Ireland,  not  brother,  but 
cousin  or  kinsman  ;  and  whether  this  be 
its  original  meaning  or  not,  we  should  not 
find  fault  with  the  honest  Keating  for 
using  a  word  in  the  sense  which  was  its 
ordinary  signification  in  his  own  time. 

f  Dunchadh  Muirsge,  i.  e.  Dunchadh  of 
Muirisg,  a  district  in  the  north  of  Tire- 
ragh,  county  of  Sligo.  The  death  of  this 
prince  is  noticed  by  the  Four  Masters 
under  the  year  681,  as  follows  : — "A.  D. 
681.  Dunchadh  Muiriscce,  son  of  Maol- 
dubh.  King  of  Conn  aught,  was  slain  in 
the  battle  of  Corann,  in  which  were  also 
slain  Colga,  son  of  Blathmac,  and  Fergus, 
son  of  Maolduin,  chief  of  Cinel  Cairbre." 


3^5 


years  in  the  government  of  Connauglit  when  lie  died  penitently,  and 
was  interred  at  Clonmacnoise  with  great  honour  and  veneration. 

Dunchadh  Muirsge*",  son  of  Tiobraidhe,  son  of  Maoldiiin  (or 
Maoldubh),  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach,  son  of  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra,  was 
four  years  in  the  government  of  Connaught,  when  he  fell  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Corann  by  Fergus,  lord  of  Cinel  Cairbre. 

Feargal  of  Aidhne^,  son  of  Artghal,  son  of  Guaire  Aidhne,  son  of 
Colman,  thirteen  years,  when  he  died. 

Innreachtach,  son  of  Dunchadh  Muirsge*",  son  of  Tiobradhe,  was 
two  years  in  the  government  of  Connaught,  when  he  fell  by  Feargal, 
son  of  Loingseach,  lord  of  Cinel  Conaill,  and  by  Feargal,  son  of 
Maolduin,  lord  of  Cinel  Eoghain. 

Oilioll,  son  of  Innreachtach',  son  of  Dunchadh  Muirsge,  was 
eight  years  in  the  government  of  Connaught  when  he  died,  after 
having  spent  a  virtuous  hfe. 

Donncathaigh, 


2  Feargal  of  Aidhne The  Four  Masters 

place  his  death  at  the  year  694,  but  they 
state  incorrectly  that  he  was  the  son  of 
Guaire  Aidhne.  "A.  D.  694.  Feargal 
Aidhne,  King  of  Connaught,  died.  He 
was  the  son"  [recte  grandson]  "  of  Guaire 
Aidhne." — See  Book  of  Lecan,  fol.  80,  p.  3, 
and  pp.  61,  62,  63  of  this  volume,  where 
the  true  pedigree  of  this  king  will  be 
found. 

^Innreachtach,  son  of  Dunchadh  Muirsge. 
According  to  a  notice  inserted  in  a  modern 
hand  into  the  Stowe  copy  of  the  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters,  at  the  year  718,  this 
king  was  slain  in  the  battle  of  Almhuin, 
fought  in  that  year  between  the  monarch 
Feargal,  son  of  Maolduin,  and  Dunchadh, 


King  of  Leinster  ;  but  this  interpolation 
is  not  correct  according  to  our  text. 

*  Oilioll,  son  of  Innreachtach — The  date 
of  his  death  is  not  given  in  the  Annals  of 
the  Four  Masters,  nor  in  any  other  annals 
accessible  to  the  Editor.  At  the  year 
719  the  Four  Masters  enter  the  death  of 
Innreachtach,  son  of  Muireadhach,  King 
of  Connaught ;  at  722  that  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Ceallach,  King  of  Connaught ;  at 
730,  that  of  Cathal,  son  of  Muireadhach, 
King  of  Connaught ;  at  737,  that  of  Aodh 
Balbh,  son  of  Innreachtach,  King  of  Con- 
naught;  at  738,  that  of  Ceallach,  son  of 
Eogallach,  King  of  Connaught;  at  751, 
that  of  Fergus,  son  of  Ceallach,  King  of 
Connaught,  and  the  same  entry  is  repeated 


2  S  2 


3i6 

Donncarai^,  mac  Cacail,  mic  Oililla,  ttiic  Duncaba  liTlui[if5e, 
15  bliabna,  ^up  eu^. 

piairpi,  mac  Oorhnuill,  00  f  lol  ^uctipe,  cerpe  bliabna  t)o  1  pi^e 
Connacc,  ^up  eu^  50  h-aiupi^eac. 

piairpi  ele  od  bliaoam  i  pige  Connacc,  50  po  rpe^  a  pf^e  ap 
Dia,  a^up  t)o  c6i6  50  h-1  Choluinn  Cille,  t)o  beunam  cpdbaiD,  50  po 
eii5  mnce  1  n-a  oilicpe,  lap  m-bpeu  buaba  6  borhan  agup  6  oearhan. 
pec  learanac  259,  260. 

[Clanna  piacpac  peampdice,  cpd,  anallana,  bab  mopa  paca 
a  R105  a^up  a  naorh,  map  ap  lep  ip  in  leabap  pa,  gup  lingeaDap 
eaccpainn  agup  Gpeannaig  pen  poppo, — t)ail  oligreac  De  bmgiop 
pfop  ap  a  puibe  Riogh  na  h-dpt)-plaiue  uaibpige  impiD  a  n-ancu- 
macra;  lapp  an  Sean-pocal  pa,  "Ceapu  ccti^  a  mail  a  neapc,"  upep  a 
n-gabaio  gloip  pao^alca,  agup  nearh-gloip  nearhba.  Sompla  ap 
pin  pinpiop  na  n-5cfoit)e.al  uile  a  g-comcmn  pe  a  5-coibneapaib  a 
nallana,   oap   beanpao    t»o  bunab    Qlba    00  Cpuirnib,    agup  t)o 

bhpeacnuib, 


under  the  year  759  ;  and  at  763  they  en- 
ter the  death  of  Dubhinrecht,  son  of 
Cathal,  King  of  Connaught.  These  kings 
were,  however,  all  of  the  Hy-Briuin  line, 
and  it  is  very  much  to  be  doubted  that 
Oilioll,  son  of  Innreachtach,  of  the  race 
of  Fiachra,  had  room  to  step  in  between 
them,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  was 
King  of  Lower  Connaught  only, 

J  Donncathaigh,   son   of  Cathal His 

death  is  entered  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  at  the  year  768. 

^  Flaithri,  son  of  Domhnall The  death 

of  Flaithri  mac  Domhnaill,  King  of  Con- 
naught, is  entered  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  under  the  year  768. 


^  Another  Flaithri His  death  is  entered 

in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  under 
the  year  774. 

"^  Of  the  Clann  Fiachrach  aforesaid 

All  this  passage  enclosed  in  brackets  is  an 
after  insertion  by  our  author  into  his 
larger  work  in  the  year  i664. 

■^  Strangers  and  the  Irish  themselves 

The  O'Conors  of  Sligo,  the  Burkes,  and 
Barretts  were  the  principal  families  that 
crippled  the  power  of  the  O'Dowds.  In 
the  year  158 1  O'Conor  Sligo  claimed  juris- 
diction over  that  tract  of  country  extending 
from  Magh  g-Ceidne  and  the  river  Drowes, 
which  separates  Connaught  from  Ulster, 
to  Ceis  Corainn,  in  the  county  of  Sligo, 


31.7 

Donncathaigli,  son  of  CathaV,  son  of  Oilioll,  son  of  Dunchadh 
Muirsge,  fifteen  years,  when  lie  died. 

Flaithri,  son  of  Dornhnall",  of  the  race  of  Guaire,  was  four  years 
in  the  government  of  Connaught,  when  he  died  penitently. 

Another  Flaithri^  was  two  years  in  the  government  of  Connaught, 
when  he  resigned  his  kingdom  for  God,  and  went  to  Hy-Columbkille 
to  apply  himself  to  devotion,  where  he  died  on  his  pilgrimage  victo- 
rious over  the  world  and  the  devil. — See  pages  259,  260  [of  Duald 
Mac  Firbis's  genealogical  book]. 

[Of  the  Clann  Fiachrach  aforesaid™,  in  ancient  times,  great  was 
the  prosperity  of  the  kings  and  saints,  as  is  obvious  in  this  book, 
until  strangers,  and  the  Irish  themselves",  attacked  them,  according 
to  the  righteous  decrees  of  God,  who  hurls  down  from  their  kingly 
thrones  the  proud  monarchs,  who  exercise  their  tyrannical  power ; 
according  to  the  old  saying,  "  the  right  of  every  one  is  according  to 
his  strength,"  by  which  they  assume  earthly  glory  and  heavenly  in- 
gloriousness.  An  example  of  this  is  afforded  by  the  ancestors  of 
the  Gaels,  who  were  in  ancient  times  at  strife  with  their  neighbours, 
when  they  took  Alba  from  the  Cruithni  and  the  Britons°,  and  who 

were 

and  from  the  river  Moy  eastwards  to  the  °  When  they  took  Alba  from  the  Cruithni 

boundary  of  O'Rourke's  country,  in  the  and  Britons. — According  to  Irish  history 

county  of  Leitrim See  Annals  of  the  an  Irish  colony  was  planted  in  Scotland, 

Four  Masters,  ad  ann.  1581.     If  this  be  then  called  Alba,  under  Cairbre  Riada, 

true  he  was  lord  of  all  O'Dowd's  country  about  the  middle   of  the  third  century  ; 

in  this  year.     But,  according  to  the  His-  and  in  the  year  504  a  more  numerous  co- 

toria  Famili^  De  Burgo,  preserved  in  the  lony  from  Ireland  migrated  thither  under 

MS.  Library  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  the  conduct  of  the  sons  of  Erck,  whose 

Cathal  Dubh  O'DoAvd,  Avho  was  the  chief  descendants  became,  in  course  of  time,  so 

of  the  family  about  this  period,  paid  a  tri-  powerful  that  in  the  reign  of  Kineth  Mac 

bute  of  five  marks  a  year  to  the  Lower  Alpin,  in  the  ninth  century,  they  totally 

Mac  William,  as  a  ciop  copanca,  i.e.  rent  subdued  and  obtained  dominion  over  the 

of  defence,  or  protection See  Addenda.  Pictish  nation. 


3i8 


blipearnuib,  naji  lop  leo  ym  ^an  ]iioj;acca  lomba  ele  t)o  lonfai^ib, 
v(\a]\  DO  pine  Niall  Naoijiiallac,  a^up  apoile,  ajup  pop  Dan,  mac 
piacpac  pearhpaice,  Do  lonpai^  Qlba,  bpeacairi,  Uipe  5^^^'  •^* 
Ppaingc  ic.  a^up  50  Sliab  Ctlpa,  map  ap  lep  Ifnn  amu  p^pfobca  a 
caicpem,  ip  na  cpiocaib  pin,  a  bap  a^up  a  abnacal,  arhuil  D'pd^inb 
Uopna  G^eap  na  6iai^,  Do  rhaip  1  n-aimpip  Ohan,  a^up  Do  cuip- 
pioD  eolui^  ele  an  5-ceDna  1  ^-cuirhne  1  paojaluib  paine  lap  pin. 
Uaip  piann  a^up  GocuiD  Golac  Ua  Cepfn,  ap-iaD  po  cionoil  na 
nece  pin  d  leabap  GocaDa  Ui  phlanna^ain  1  n-QpD  TTIaca,  agup 
d  liubap  TTIaimpDpeac,  ajup  ap  na  lebpaib  co^aibe  ele,  .1.  ap  an 
Cebap  m-biiiDe,  reapDa  ip  in  5-capcaip  QpDa  ITIaca,  a^up  ap  an 
Leabap  '^^ctpp  baoi  1  TTlainipDip,  ap  e  pu^  an  mac  leginn  lep  cap 
muip  1  n-goiD,  a^up  ni  ppic  piarh,  ic 


P  Niall  of  the  Wine  Hostages.  — All  our 
writers  agree  that  this  monarch  infested 
Britain  and  the  coasts  of  Gaul,  following 
in  the  track  of  his  predecessor,  Criomthann 
Mor  Mac  Fidaigh,  who  planted  a  colony 
of  Munstermen  in  Wales.  The  devasta- 
tions of  Niall  in  Britain  are  thus  referred 
to  in  a  very  ancient  life  of  St.  Patrick, 
formerly  in  the  possession  of  Archbishop 
Ussher,  who  gave  the  following  quotation 
from  it  in  his  Primordia,  p.  587  : — '■'■  Scoti 
deHibernid  sub  rege  suo  Neill  Nseigiallach 
multum  diversas  provincias  Britanniaa 
contra  Romanum  Imperium,  regnante  Con- 
stantio  filio  Constantini,  devastabant  : 
contendere  incipientes  Aquilonalem  pla- 
gam  Britannise.  Et  post  tempus,  bellis 
et  classibus  Hibernienses  expulerunt  ha- 
bitatores  terras  illius  ;  et  habitaverunt 
ipsi  ibi." 


TTlipi 

The  devastations  of  Niall  in  Britain  and 
Gaul  are  thus  alluded  to  by  Mr.  Moore,  who 
justly  considers  this  within  the  authentic 
period  of  Irish  history  : — "  The  tottering 
state  of  the  Roman  dominion  in  Gaul,  as 
well  as  in  every  other  quarter,  at  this  pe- 
riod, encouraged  the  hero  of  the  Nine 
Hostages  to  extend  his  enterprises  to  the 
coast  of  Britany,  where,  after  ravaging  all 
the  maritime  districts  of  the  north-west 
of  Gaul,  he  was  at  length  assassinated, 
with  a  poisoned  arrow,  by  one  of  his  own 
followers,  near  the  Portus  Iccius,  not  far, 
it  is  supposed,  from  the  site  of  the  present 
Boulogne.  It  was  in  the  course  of  this 
predatory  expedition  that,  in  one  of  their 
descents  on  the  coast  of  Armoric  Gaul 
the  soldiers  of  Niall  carried  off  with  them, 
among  other  captives,  a  youth  then  in  his 
sixteenth  year,  whom  Providence  had  des- 


3^9 

were  not  satisfied  with  this,  without  invading  many  other  countries, 
as  did  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages''  and  others,  and  also  Dathi,  son  of 
Fiachra  above  mentioned,  who  invaded  Alba,  Britain,  the  country  of 
the  Gauls,  i.  e.  France,  &c.,  and  as  far  as  the  mountain  of  the  Alps'*, 
for  his  triumphs  are  obvious  to  us  at  this  day,  as  also  his  death  and 
burial,  as  Torna  Eigeas"",  who  lived  in  the  time  of  Dathi,  left  written 
after  him,  and  other  learned  men  have,  in  successive  ages,  transmit- 
ted a  memorial  of  the  same.  For  it  was  Flann'  and  Eochaidh 
Eolach  O'Cerin^  that  collected  these  things  from  the  book  of  Eoch- 
aidh O'Flannagan",  at  Armagh,  and  from  the  book  of  the  Monastery'', 
and  other  choice  books,  such  as  the  Yellow  Book'',  which  was  missed 
out  of  the  prison  at  Armagh,  and  from  the  Leabhar  Gearr"",  which 
was  at  Mainister,  and  which  the  student  carried  with  him  by  stealth 
over  the  sea,  and  was  never  discovered  afterwards,  &c. 


tined  to  be  the  author  of  a  great  religious 
revolution  in  their  country  ;  and  whom 
the  strangely  fated  land  to  which  he  was 
then  borne,  a  stranger  and  a  slave,  has 
now,  for  fourteen  hundred  years,  comme- 
morated as  its  great  Christian  apostle." — 
History  of  Ireland,  vol.  i.  p.  152. 

*>  The  Alps — Vide  supra,  pp.  17-33. 

■^  Torna Eigeas See  pp.  25,  26,  Note", 

above. 

*  Flann. — This  is  Flann,  abbot  of  Mo- 
nasterboice,  in  the  now  county  of  Louth, 
who  died  in  the  year  1056. 

^  Eochaidh  Eolach  QPCeirin,  i.  e.  Eochy 
the  learned,  O'Kerin.  The  Editor  has  not 
discovered  any  particulars  of  the  history 
of  this  writer. 

"  Eochaidh  G'Flannagan His  history 

or  period  unknown  to  the  Editor. 


'^  The  Book  of  the  Monastery By  the 

monastery  is  here  meant  Mainistir  Buite, 
now  Monasterboice,  in  the  county  of 
Louth,  in  which  a  celebrated  historical 
book  was  preserved  for  ages. 

"  The  Yellow  Book. —  The  period  at 
which  this  book  was  missed  is  unknown 
to  the  Editor. 

^  The  Leahharr  Gearr — A  book  of  this 
name  is  mentioned  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  at  the  year  141 6,  but  it  does 
not  appear  to  be  the  same  as  that  here 
referred  to  by  our  author.  "  A.  D.  141 6. 
The  church  of  Inis  mor,  in  Loch  Gile 
[now  Lough  Gill,  near  Sligo]  was  burned, 
and  Screaptra  Ui  Chuirnin  [O'Curnin's 
manuscripts]  and  the  Leabhar  Gearr  [i.  e. 
short  book]  of  the  O'Cuirnins  and  many 
other  precious  articles  were  also  burned." 


320 

TTlipi  an  Dubalcac  TTIac  pipbipg,  t)o  f^piob  na  h-u^Dopraip 
fin  ap  lo]i5  licpe  Lu^bac  Ui  Chlepe  na  h-iomapbaibe,  ace  cib- 
lonnuy  gup  peapmoin  paogalca  map  baoap  ^aoibil  m  lonbuib  }'in 
ag  gabdil  na  5-cpioc  1  5-cen  ^y  a  b-pogup,  agup  gan  die  a  abnacail 
t)'d  peaponn  ag  an  ceat)rha6  Oume  00  uaiplib  ^aoibeal  aniu,  56 
acd  a  puil  lep  anoip  ip  m  m-blia6ain  pi,  1664. 

Ni  h-f  po  locc  aimpip  an  leabaip  pi  acr  ceaglam  t)0  cuipeap 
lep  acaib  laparh.] 


'^  Ltighaidh  GPClery  of  the  Contention 

For  some  account  of  this  Lughaidh  see 
pp.  82,  83,  Note  ',  of  this  volume.  He  is 
styled  "  of  the  Contention,"  because  he 
acted  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  contention 
•which  took  place  between  the  poets  of  the 
northern  and  southern  parts  of  Ireland  in 
the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
The  account  of  the  authorities  above  re- 
ferred to  is  given  nearly  the  same  as  in 
our  text  in  Leabhar  na  h-Uidhri,  which 
must  have  been  in  the  possession  of  Lugh- 
aidh  O'Clery  as  O'Donnell's  chief  histo- 
rian, and  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  had 
made  a  copy  of  that  book,  as  our  author 
quotes  this  passage  from  his  handwriting. 

'^Conquering  the  countries  far  and  near 


This  humiliating  observation  of  our  author 
shows  the  subdued  tone  of  the  Irish  peo- 
ple at  this  period,  and  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  many  of  them  were  then  in 
the  habit  of  acknowledging  that  their 
downfall  was  caused  by  the  just  visitation 
of  heaven,  in  consequence  of  the  ambition 
and  cruelty  of  their  ancestors.  The  idea 
was  taken  hold  of  by  Sir  Eichard  Cox, 
who  flourished  not  long  after  this  period, 
to  prove  the  just  causes  King  Henry  H. 
of  England  had  for  invading  Ireland.  This 
writer  observes,  "  But  however  that  were" 
[i.  e.  the  granting  of  Ireland  by  the  King 
of  the  Britons  to  the  sons  of  MilesiusJ, 
"  yet  the  King  had  just  Cause  of  "War 
against  the  Irish^  because  of  the  Pyracies 


321 

I  am  Dubhaltach  Mac  Firbisigh.,  who  transcribed  these  authori- 
ties from  the  hand-writing  of  Lughaidh  O'Clery  of  the  Contention^. 
It  is  no  doubt  a  worldly  lesson  to  consider  how  the  Gaels  were  at 
this  time  conquering  the  countries  far  and  near'',  and  that  not  one  in 
a  hundred  of  the  Irish  nobles,  at  this  day,  possesses  as  much  of  his 
land  as  he  could  be  buried  in^,  though  they  expect  it  in  this  year, 
l664^ 

This  is  not  the  time  or  place  of  compihng  this  book,  but  this 
extract  I  have  added  some  time  after.] 


and  Outrages  they  daily  committed  against 
his  subjects,  and  the  barbarous  cruelties 
they  exercised  on  the  English  whensoever 
they  fell  in  their  Power,  buying  and  selling 
them  as  slaves,  and  using  Turkish  Tyranny 
over  their  bodies,  so  that  the  Irish  them- 
selves afterwards  acknowledged,  That  it 
was  just  their  Land  should  be  transferr'd 
to  the  Nation  they  had  so  cruelly  handled. 
Wherefore  the  King,  as  well  to  revenge 
those  injuries,  as  to  recover  that  Kingdom, 
put  on  a  resolution  to  invade  it." — Hiber- 
nia  Anglicana,  pp.  i,  2. 

^  As  much  of  his  land  as  he  could  be 
buried  in This,  and  many  other  strong 


passages  to  the  same  effect,  show  that  the 
Irish  in  our  author's  time  were  in  an  awful 
state  of  destitution,  and  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable that  he  himself  was  begging  from 
door  to  door  at  the  time  that  he  inserted 
this  passage. 

^  They  expect  it  in  this  year,  1 664. — It 
appears  from  the  marriage  articles  of 
David  Oge  O'Dowda,  drawn  up  in  the 
year  1656,  to  which  our  author  was  a 
subscribing  witness,  that  the  O'Dowds  had 
then  strong  expectations  of  being  restored 
to  their  estates. — See  more  on  this  subject 
in  the  pedigree  of  O'Dowda,  in  the  Ad- 
denda to  this  volume. 


IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12. 


2T 


t)0  6hReaChNU16h 

1  N-ibh  amhacsaioh  inic  piachi?ach. 


2T2  ^o 


DO  6hT?eat:hNU161i 

1  mbh  amhaLsaiDh  mic  piachRach, 

Sliocc  oile  ann  po  d  leabpaib  Chloinne  phipbij^i^. 


iDeyie    pionn  bjiearnac,  t)ea|ib|idcaip  Uilliam  pinn 
Chille   Comdin,   pe   pdireap    UiUiam    TTlop    na 
TTiai^ne;  an  Laijleipioc;  Clann  anpiiailge;  Seoai^ 
icaip  Chonnacr  ;  Clann  heil,  meg  Ui^ilin  an  Ruca; 
lee  bliaillpioc;  bapomi^  na  TTlurhan;  TTlac  bbainn 
ipet),    6   D-cdiD    5aipeat)ui5  Uipe    Qrhalgaib;   Clann 
Uoimin  loppuip;  Clann  QinDpiu  an  bhaic;  Clann  Ricfn,  .1.  Ricfn 

O5, 


The  ornamented  initial  letter  R  is  taken 
from  the  Book  of  Kells,  fol.  92. 

*  This  portion  of  the  work  contains  in- 
digested gleanings  made  by  our  author 
from  the  manuscripts  of  his  ancestors. 

**  The  White  Knight The  Irish  annals 

preserve  no  notice  of  this  personage. 

*•  William  Fionn,  i.  e.  the  Fair.  He  is 
elsewhere  called  William  Breathnach,  or 


Walsh,  by  our  author  ;  but  he  was  un- 
questionably the  head  of  the  Barretts, 
and  it  is  therefore  probable  that  Breath- 
nach, as  applied  to  him,  means  Welshman. 
•=  cm  Comain. — There  are  two  places  of 
this  name  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  one  in 
Erris,  and  the  other  in  the  barony  of  Kil- 
maine,  to  the  east  of  Ballinrobe,  but  it  is 
not  easy  to  conjecture  which  of  them  is 


OF  THE  WELSHMEN 


HY-AMHALGAIDH  MIC  FIACHRACH, 

ANOTHER  EXTRACT  HERE  FROM  THE  BOOKS  OF  THE  CLANN  FIRBIS*. 


\HE  Welshmen  of  Ireland  were  the  Welsh  White 
Knight^*  ,who  was  the  brother  of  Wilham  Fionn^  of 
Cill  Comain*^,  who  was  called  William  Mor  na 
Maighne'* ;  Laighleisioch^,  Clann  an  Fhailghe^;  the 
Seoaigh^,  of  the  west  of  Connaught;  the  Clann  HeiP; 
the  Mac  Uighihns'  of  the  Ruta;  the  Mac  Bhaill- 
seachsJ ;  the  Baroideachs  of  Munster" ;  Mac  Bhaitin  Baired',  from 
whom  are  the  Baireadachs  of  Tir  Amhalgaidli ;  the  Clann  Toimin  of 

lorrus ; 


here  alluded  to. 

^  William  Mor  na  Maighne,  William  tlie 
Great  of  Moyne See  Note  ■■,  p.  326,  infra. 

^  Laighleisioch One  of  the  family  of 

Lawless  would  be  called  Laighleisiodi  by 
the  native  Irish  at  the  present  day. 

f  Clann  an  Fhailghe,  unknown  to  the 
Editor.    There  is  one  notice  of  this  Welsh 


tribe  preserved  in  Mageoghegan's  Trans- 
lation of  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  at 
the  year  1 3 1 6,  but  no  evidence  has  been 
discovered  to  prove  where  they  were  seated 
or  what  the  surname  was. 

8  The  Seoaigh,  i.  e.  the  Joyces,  who  in- 
habited the  barony  of  Eoss,  in  the  north- 
west of  the  county  of  Galway. 


326 


Oj,  mac  Ricfn,  6  t)-cait)  Clann  l?icin ;  Uoinnlfn  6  t)-cait)  Clann 
UoiTTiilfn;  "hoiftie^,  mac  menib|iic,  6  t)-caD  Clann  "hoifoej. 

1  n-aimpip  Jall-Shaxon  t)o  ceacc  i  n-6pinn  le  OiapmuiD  TTlac 

rnu]ic1ia6a, 


^  The  Clann  Heil,  i.  e.  tlie  descendants 
of  Hoel,  or  Howell.  Quere,  if  this  be 
not  the  name  now  anglicised  Mac  Hale, 
which  is  still  numerous  in  Tirawley  ? 

'  The  Mac  Uighilins,  i.  e.  the  Mac  Quil- 
lins,  who  inhabited  the  Eout,  in  the  north 
of  the  present  county  of  Antrim.  The 
name  is  supposed  to  be  a  corruption  of 
Mac  Lhlewellin. 

J  The  Mac  Bkaillsiochs.  —  See  p.  126, 
Note  *",  of  this  volume. 

^  Baroideachs  of  Munster,  i.  e.  the  Bar- 
retts of  Munster.  The  district  Avhich  they 
possessed  still  retains  their  name,  and  is 
situated  in  the  county  of  Cork,  to  the 
north-west  of  the  city. 

'  Mac  Bhaitin  Bared,  i.  e.  Mac  "Wattin 
Barrett.  The  head  of  the  Barretts  of  Tir- 
awley took  that  Irish  appellation  from 
an  ancestor  called  "Wattin,  or  little  Walter. 
It  is  curious  to  remark  that  the  name 
Barrett  is,  in  Munster,  called  in  Irish 
6ap6iD,  and  in  Connaught  6aipeaD. 

^  The  Clann  Toimin  of  lorrus.  —  This 
was  the  clan  name  of  a  branch  of  the 
Barretts  who  were  seated  in  the  barony 
of  Erris,  in  Mayo. 

"  Clann  Aindriu This  was  the  name 

of  another  branch  of  the  Barretts  of  Tir- 
awley, who  were  seated  in  the  district 
called  the  Two  Bacs,  lying  between  Lough 
Conn  and  the  river  Moy.     The  name  is 


now  anglicised  Mac  Andrew,  and  is  very 
common  in  the  district, 

°  Clann  Ricin,  unknown  to  the  Editor. 
It  was  probably  the  local  name  of  a  sept  of 
the  Barretts. 

P  Clann  Toimilm,  now  Tomlyn. 

'J  Clann  Hostegh This  name  is  still 

common  in  the  counties  of  ]\layo  and  Gal- 
way,  where  it  is  always  anglicised  Hosty. 
According  to  the  tradition  in  the  country, 
Hosty,  the  ancestor  of  this  Welsh  family, 
was  the  original  builder  of  the  castle  of 
Dunmore,  below  Tuam,  from  which  he 
was  afterwards  driven  by  the  family  of 
Bermingham. 

^  At  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  Eng- 
lish  This,  with  a  part  of  the  succeeding 

paragraph,  is  very  imperfectly  written,  as 
appears  from  the  facts  recorded  in  the  suc- 
ceeding part  of  the  narrative.  It  should 
have  been  stated  thus  :  —  "It  was  at  the 
time  of  the  arrival  of  the  English  into 
Ireland  with  Diarmaid  Mac  Murchadha, 
King  of  Leinster,  that  the  families  above 
enumerated  came  to  Ireland.  They  land- 
ed in  Tirawley,  and  attempted  to  wrest 
the  territory  by  force  from  the  race  of 
Fiachra,  and,  according  to  some  writers, 
succeeded  in  doing  so.  About  a  century 
afterwards  the  four  families  following, 
namely,  the  Cusacks,  Petits,  Browns,  and 
Moores  landed  in  Tirawley,  and  essayed 


3^7 

lorrus"" ;  the  Clann  Aindriu  of  Bac" ;  the  Clann  Ricin°,  who  descend 
from  Ricin  Og,  son  of  Ricin;  Toimihn,  from  whom  are  the  Clann 
ToimiHn" ;  Hosdegh,  son  of  Membhric,  from  whom  are  the  Clann 
Hosdegh*'. 

It  was  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  English''  in  Ireland  with 

Diarmaid 


to  take  tliat  territory  from  these  Welsh 
tribes.  They  fortified  themselves  at  a 
place  called  Mileac  an  locha,  where  they 
erected  a  strong  castle  in  which  they  kept 
a  ward.  When  the  Welsh  settlers  of 
Tirawley  had  perceived  their  intentions 
of  conquest,  they  sent  word  to  William 
Fionn  of  Kilcommon,  afterwards  known 
as  William  Mor  na  Maighne,  who  had 
been  for  a  long  time  previously  the  presi- 
dent and  defender  of  his  kinsmen  in  Tir- 
awley, to  remonstrate  with  him  about 
the  maraudings  of  the  new  invaders,  and 
William  sent  letters  to  the  invaders  order- 
ing them  to  desist  from  their  designs  and 
quit  the  territory,  or  meet  him  in  battle, 
and  the  result  was,"  &c.  &c.,  as  in  the 
text. 

Though  it  is  stated  here  on  the  autho- 
rity of  the  books  of  the  Mac  Firbises,  that 
these  Welsh  tribes  landed  in  Tirawley  and 
wrested  that  territory  from  the  Hy-Fiach- 
rach  at  the  period  of  the  English  invasion; 
it  is,  nevertheless,  not  true  that  they  drove 
out  the  Hy-Fiachrach  so  early,  and  it  may 
be  rationally  suspected  that  they  did  not 
land  in  Tirawley  for  near  a  century  later. 
To  prove  that  the  Hy-Fiachrach  were  not 
driven  out  we  have  the  testimony  of  the 


authentic  Irish  annals,  which  show  that 
the  native  chiefs  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race 
were  in  possession  of  Tirawley  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  thirteenth  century,  as  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following  entries  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  : 

"  A.  D.  121 7.  Cathal  Fionn  O'Lachtna, 
chief  of  the  Two  Bacs,  was  treacherously 
slain  in  his  own  house  by  O'Flynn  of 
Magh  h-Eleog. 

"  A.  D.  1 25 1 .  Flann  O'Lachtnain,  chief 
of  the  Two  Bacs,  died. 

"A.  D.  1267.  Aodh  O'Muireadhaigh 
[O'Murray],  chief  of  the  Lagan,  was  slain 
at  Killala  by  O'Maolfoghmhair,  comharba 
of  the  church,  on  Sunday  after  hearing 
mass. 

"A.D.  1268.  Aongus  O'Maolfoghmhair 
was  slain  by  the  O'Muireadhaighs  [O'Mur- 
rays]  in  revenge  for  the  death  of  their 
chief. 

"  A.  D.  1 269.  Flaithbheartach  O'Maoil- 
f  hiona  [Flaherty  O'Molina],  chief  of  half 
the  territory  of  Calraighe  Muighe  h-Eleog, 
was  slain  by  O'Gaibhtheachain  [O'Gaugh- 
an],  chief  of  the  other  half. 

"  A.D.  1274.  Fergal  O'Caithniadh,  lord 
of  lorrus,  died  in  Hy-Mac  Caechain." 

From  these  passages  it  can  be  fairly  in- 


328 

TTlupcliaba,  R15  Cai^ean,  cdinig  an  Dpon^  |iearh]iaire  50  h-Gjiinn, 
aguf  ^abum  cuan  1  D-Ufji  Qrhal^aiD  rhic  piacpac,  agup  inap  an 
5-ceuDna  00  ^abpao  Ciopogaij,  peuiui^,  bjiunui^,  a^up  TTiupuij;, 
cerpe  pmeabaca  laopibe,  agup  xyo  caip^pioo  na  cerpe  pineaba  pin 
an  cfp  t)o  ^dbdil  ap  e^m  ap  CVilannuib  piacpac,  agup  at)ep  pliocc 
ele  5iip  ^abaDap  na  pineaba  pin  oppa  1. 

baoiUilliam  pionnCliille  Coynain  (.i.Uilliam  TTlop  naTTlai^ne), 
op  cionn  Uipe  Qrhal^aiD  peal  paoa  perhe  pin,  iriap  uaccapdn  t)'d 
curhOac.  QcaoiniO  luce  an  cipe  an  poipneapc  pm  pe  li-Uilliam, 
a^up  cuipip  Uilliam  licpeaca  ^up  na  ^alluib  pin  t)'d  pd6  piu  cop5 
D'd  n-olc,  agup  an  cfp  00  pd^bdil,  no  a  ppea^pa  im  car ;  a^up  oe  pm 
cuipueap  car  mop  na  TTlaijne  ecoppa,  gup  rhuio  ap  na  ^cdlu'lJ  pn, 
gup  ruiu  an  Ciopogac  ann  50  n-iomaD  o'a  rhuincip,  agup  Do  na 
^allaib  bdoap  apaon  pip.  Cona6  t)e  pin  pdiceap  Uilliam  mop  na 
TTlaigne  pip  m  Uilliam  pin.  lonpai^ip  Uilliam  lapum  diu  a  pab- 
aoap  Dpon5  Oo  na  ^alluib  pin  aj  bdpDacc,   agup  ag  copnarh  an 

cfpe, 

ferred  that  the  Barretts  had  made  no  con-  to  the  Historia  Famili^  De  Burgo  this 

quest  in  Tirawley  or  Erris  till  the  time  of  battle   was    fought    in    the    year    1281. 

William  Mor  of  the  battle  of  Moyne,  and  "  Bellum  apud  Mayn  de  Kilro  per  Adam 

that  he  may  have  invaded  Tirawley  and  Cymsog   [Cusack]  ex  una  parte,  et  Wil- 

Erris  some  fifteen  years  before  his  death  liam  Bareth  ex  ultera  parte,  ubi  vulnera- 

in  1282.  tus  et  captus  est  idem  William.     Et  pos- 

*  Cissogachs,  i.  e.  the  Cusacks.  tea  de  hiis  vulneribus  mortuus  fuit.  Adam 

^  Petit,  now  written  Petty.  Fleming  et  multi  alii"  [occisi  sunt~\.     The 

^  Brunachs The  Brownes  are  still  so  place  here  called  Kilro  retains  that  name  to 

called  in  Irish,   and  the  name  was  often  this  day,  and  is  remarkable  for  the  remains 

Latinized  Brunus.  of  an  old  church  erected  in  the  time  of  St. 

■^  Muracks,  i.  e.  the  Moores.  Patrick.     Moyne  adjoins  it  to  the  south- 

^  Battle  of  Maighin,  of  Moyne,  near  the  east.     In  Grace's  Annals  this  occurrence 

mouth  of  the  river  Moy,  in  the  parish  of  is  entered  under  the  year  1281,  thus  : — 

Killala,  where  are  the  ruins  of  a  beautiful  "  Adam  Cusacke  Junior  interfecit  Guli- 

abbey,  built  in  the  year  1460.  According  elmum  Baret  et  alios  quamplures  in  Con- 


329 

Diarmaid  Mac  Murchadha,  King  of  Leinster,  that  tlie  people  aforesaid 
came  to  Ireland;  tliey  landed  in  Tir  Amhalgaidli  Mic  Fiachrach 
[now  Tirawleij\  as  did  likewise  \some  time  after]  these  four  tribes, 
namely,  Ciosogachs',  Petits',  Brunachs^  and  Murachs\  and  these 
four  tribes  assayed  to  wrest  the  territory  by  force  from  the  race  of 
Fiachra ;  and  another  authority  adds,  that  these  tribes  did  wrest  it 
from  them. 

William  Fionn  of  Cill  Comain  (i.  e.  William  Mor  na  Maighne) 
had  been  for  a  long  time  before  this  as  a  president  over  Tir  Amhal- 
gaidh  guarding  it.  The  natives  of  this  territory  remonstrated  with 
this  William  about  this  oppression,  and  William  sends  letters  to  these 
strangers,  telling  them  to  desist  from  their  evil  deeds,  and  quit  the 
country,  or  meet  him  in  battle ;  the  result  was,  that  the  great  battle 
of  Maighin"'  \now  Moyne]  was  fought  between  them,  in  which  the 
strangers  [i.e.new  innaders]  were  defeated, and  in  which  fell  theCioso- 
gach  with  many  of  his  people''.  Hence  this  William  was  called  Wil- 
Uam  Mor  na  Maighne.  William  afterwards  attacks  the  place  where  a 
party  of  these  strangers  had  a  w^ard  to  defend  the  country,  namely, 

the 

nacia."     The  Four  Masters  have  the  fol-  given  under  the  same  year  in  Mageoghe- 

lowing  notice  of  this  battle  under  the  year  gan's  translation  of  the  Annals  of  Clon- 

128 1,  but  without  naming  the  place: —  macnoise. 

"A.  D.  1 28 1.    A  battle  was  fought  be-  ^  In  which  fell  the  Ciosogach This  is 

tween  the  Barretts  and  Cusack,  in  which  undoubtedly  incorrect,  for  the  Ciosogach, 
the  Barretts  were  defeated  with  the  loss  or  head  of  the  Cusacks,  was  not  slain  in 
of  William  Barrett,  Adam  Fleming,  and  this  battle.  In  the  next  year  he  turned 
many  others.  Cusack  was  assisted  in  this  his  arms  against  his  friend  Taithleach 
contest  by  two  of  the  Irish,  viz.,  Taith-  O'Dowd,  whom  he  slew  at  Bel  atha  Tail- 
leach  O'Boyle,  and  Taithleach  O'Dowd,  tigh,  on  the  margin  of  the  great  strand  of 
both  renowned  for  their  bravery  and  va-  Traigh  Eothuile,  and  he  fought  Maghnus 
lour  in  battle  and  their  agility  and  dex-  O'Conorin  the  year  1285,  and  died,  accord- 
terity   at   arms."     This   passage   is   also  ing  to  the  Four  Masters,  in  the  year  1287. 

HUSH  ARCH.  SOC.    12.  2  U 


33° 


cfpe,  .1.  Cuipc  rhop  TTIhfleac  an  loca.  ^abuip  an  cuipu  oppa, 
agup  lonapbuiy^  laD  uile  epce,  a'^uy  pannuip  an  np  lapum  eoip  a 
bpdirpibpen,  a^upcu^  tDoTllhac  bhainn  baipeaoan  cuipc,  a^uy*  an 
cfp  uile  [a^u]^  ram  a^  a  fbocc]  6  ca  ym  "^ny  aniu.  ^^^^^  ^  TTIac 
baicfn  acd  'n  a  rpiac  aguy^  'n  a  n^eapna  op  a  j-cionn  gup  ancanpo. 
Sliocr  ele  a  t)ep  Uilliani  TTlop  bpeacnac  pip  in  Uilliam  peam- 
pdiue,  pep  ruir  an  Ciopo^ac  peampdiue,  a^up  an  can  t)o  pona6 
Caiplen  na  cepci  lap  an  Uilliam  TTlop  (bpearnac)  po  na  mai^ne, 
t)o  pomn  pe  an  uip  eDip  a  Bpaiupeaca  bunuib  pen.  Uu^  ap  cup 
^leann  OipDe^oo  Oi]mec,mac  lTlepic(nolTlenibpic),a5up5^eann 

Nemcenne 


y  Mileac  of  the  lake,  now  Meelick,  a 
townland  in  tlie  parisli  of  Killala,  in  the 
barony  of  Tirawley,  a  short  distance  to 
the  north-west  of  Moyne,  where  this  bat- 
tle was  fought.     The  ruins  of  a  castle  are 

still  to  be  seen  here See  Ordnance  Map 

of  the  County  of  Mayo,  sheet  22. 

^  He  took  the  court  from  them. — This  is 
evidently  false  history  ;  but  it  is  very 
probable  that  William  Mor  of  Moyne  had 
made  the  distribution  of  the  lands  here 
mentioned  several  years  before  Adam 
Cusack  had  made  any  descent  upon  Tir- 
awley. Indeed  it  is  clear  that  this  must 
have  been  the  case,  for  Hosty  Merrick, 
one  of  those  who  got  a  share  of  the  lands 
mentioned,  was  slain,  according  to  the  Irish 
annals,  in  1272,  ten  years  before  the  battle 
of  Moyne  was  fought.  This  account  of 
the  conquest  of  Adam  Cusack  by  William 
Mor  Barrett,  was  evidently  a  vague  tradi- 
tional story,  penned  by  one  of  the  Mac 
Firbises  to  flatter  the  prideof  the  Mac  Wat- 
tin  Barrett  of  the  day  ;  but  it  cannot  be 


received  for  true  history,  as  all  the  authen- 
tic annals  are  in  direct  opposition  to  it. 

^  William  Mor  Breathnach — Breathnach 
is  the  usual  name  by  which  the  Irish,  even 
at  the  present  day,  call  the  family  of 
Walsh  ;  but  the  William  Mor  of  the  bat- 
tle of  Moyne,  here  referred  to,  was  the 
head  of  the  Barretts.  Our  author,  in 
giving  the  pedigree  of  the  family  of  Walsh, 
on  the  authority  of  Laurence  Walsh,  who 
wrote  in  1588,  states  that  Walynus,  the 
progenitor  of  the  family  of  Walsh,  and 
Barrett,  the  progenitor  of  the  Barretts, 
were  brothers,  and  the  sons  of  Guyndally, 
high  steward  of  the  lordship  of  the  house 
of  Camelot,  and  that  Walynus  came  to 
Ireland  with  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  a  lieu- 
tenant of  fifty  archers  and  fifty  foot,  in 
the  year  1 1 69,  and  that  some  of  his  de- 
scendants had  adhered  to  the  descendants 
of  said  Maurice  to  Laurence  Walsh's 
time  (1588).  It  is  not,  therefore,  to  be 
wondered  at,  that  some  old  Irish  writers 
should  have  styled  William  Mor  Barrett 


33 


the  great  Court  of  Mileac  of  the  lake^  He  took  the  court  from 
them^,  drives  them  all  from  it,  and  then  divides  the  territory  between 
his  own  kinsmen ;  he  gave  to  Mac  Bhaitin  Baired  the  court,  and  all 
the  territory  which  his  family  have  retained  from  that  day  till  this, 
so  that  he,  Mac  Bhaitin,  is  chief  and  lord  over  them  to  this  pre- 
sent time. 

Another  authority  gives  the  name  of  William  Mor  Breathnach^ 
to  the  William  aforesaid,  by  whom  fell  Cusack^  aforesaid,  and  states 
that  when  Caislen  na  Circe^  was  erected  by  this  William  Mor  Breath- 
nach  na  Maighne  he  divided  the  country  among  kinsmen  of  his 
tribe.     He  gave,  first,   Gleann  Oisdegh'^  to  Osdec  Mac  Meric^   (or 

Membric)  ; 

of  the  battle  of  Moyne  by  the  cognomen  of 
Breathnach,  which  may  have  meant  simply 
"  The  Welshman,"  for  Breathnach  in  Irish 
means  Brittanicus,  and  to  the  present  day 
denotes  "Welsh,  i.  e.  belonging  to  Wales, 
as  well  as  a  Welshman,  and  one  of  the 
family  called  Walsh. 

''  By  whom  fell  Cusach.  —  This  clause 
should  be  reversed,  and  written  "  who  fell 
by  Cusack  ;"  the  error  is  possibly  owing 
to  the  ignorance  of  some  transcriber ;  but 
it  is  extraordinary  that  our  learned  author 
did  not  correct  so  gross  a  blunder.  "  Miror 
doctum  Dualdum  Firbisium  ita  errasse  !" 
as  Dr.  O'Conor  says  in  reference  to  ano- 
ther oversight  of  our  author. 

'^  When  Caislen  na  Circe  was  erected  by 

this  William This  is  not  the  Caislen  na 

Circe  in  Lough  Corrib — (which  had  been 
erected,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  before  1233,  "  ^7  ^^^  power 
of  the  sons  of  King  Koderic  O'Conor  and 
Mac  William  Burke") — but  Castle-Kirk, 

2 


in  Lough  Carra,  not  many  miles  from  Kil- 
common,  where  this  William  Mor  Barrett 
of  the  battle  of  Moyne  seems  to  have  re- 
sided. The  erection  of  this  castle  then 
may  fairly  be  attributed  to  about  the  year 
1266,  which  is  therefore  the  true  period 
of  the  descent  of  the  Welsh  families  upon 
the  territory  of  TiraAvley,  not,  as  stated 
by  our  author,  11 69  or  1172,  when  the 
English  first  came  over  to  assist  the  King 
of  Leinster. 

'^  Gleann  Oisdegh.  —  This  place  is  still 
well  known,  and  is  anglicised  Glenhest. 
It  is  a  valley  district,  west  of  Glen  Nephin, 
partly  in  the  barony  of  Burrishoole  and 
partly  in  that  of  Tirawley,  in  the  county 
of  Mayo.  It  is  divided  from  Glen  Nephin 
by  the  Boghadoon  river,  and  lies  between 
Lough  Feeagh,  which  bounds  it  on  the 
west,  and  Beltraw  lough,  which  bounds  it 

on  the  soiith-east See  Balds'  Map  of 

Mayo,  and  Ordnance  Map. 

^  Osdec  Mac  Meric He  is  still  vividly 

U  2 


332 


NeTYirenne  tso  Picin,  ajii]'  an  od  bhac  t)o  Ship  TTlaigiu  an  bhaic, 
6  b-puil  Clann  QinD|nu  baijieD.  ^u^  6  pheappaiD  Upepi  50 
"Cpai^  TTIupbai^  t)o  Ship  Uilliani  bai^lep,  .^.  an  Laiglepioc,  ajup 
coirheaO  a^up  coynarh  upiocaio  ceo  loppuip  ag  Uoimfn,  a^iip  a^ 
pinlip,  no  philpm,  .1.  mac  mec  Deapbpdcap  00  Uhoimfn  an  pinlip, 
no  an  pilpin  pin,  a^up  ap  a  pliocc  acd  TTlacphilib,  no  philbin,a5up 
ap  ua6  cdn^aDap  clann  piiilib,  no  piiilbin ;  ni  meapca  ^up  ob  e  an 
philpin  ceD  50  bupcacuib.  Sip  Uilliam  bai^lep,  mac  RoibepO,  mic 
Uilliam,  mic  Niocldip,  amm  an  Cai^lepi^  o'd  O-cu^  Uilliam  TTlop 
naTTlai^nean  peapann  pa,.i.  opiieappaioUpepi  ^oUpai^TTlupbai^. 
Clann  TTlec  PoibepD  a  Diibpaoap  luce  an  popmam  a^iip  an 
ameoluip  eauopjia  pen  ^iip  t>o  pliocc  Oorhniiill  loppiiip  Ui  Clion- 
cabaip  661b,  acu  aoep  TTlac  phipbi]^^,  .i.  Semup,  mac  Oiapmaoa, 

nac 


remembered  in  the  tradition  of  the  coun- 
try, according  to  which  the  Hoiste,  after 
whom  Gleann  Hoiste  was  called,  was  slain 
and  beheaded  by  one  of  the  O'Malleys 
after  he  had  nearly  exterminated  the 
whole  of  that  family  ;  but,  strange  to  say, 
this  tradition  states  that  he  was  one  of  the 
Danes,  and  flourished  during  the  tyran- 
nical sway  of  that  people  in  Ireland  be- 
fore the  period  of  the  battle  of  Clontarf ! 
This  affords  a  striking  instance  of  the  fal- 
lacy of  oral  tradition  as  a  chronicler  of 
events,  for,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters,  Hoitsi  Mebric  (Hosty  Mer- 
rick) and  his  neighbour,  Henry  Butler, 
lord  of  Umhall  [O'Malley's  country]  were 
slain  by  Cathal,  son  of  Conor  Roe  O' Conor, 
and  the  sons  of  Muircheartach  O'Conor, 
in  the  year  1272.  In  Mageoghegan's  trans- 
lation of  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  this 


passage  is  given  as  follows  : — "  A.  D.  1272. 
Henry  Butler,  lord  of  the  territory  of 
Omaille  and  Hodge  Mebric,  were  killed 
by  Cahall  Mac  Connor  Roe  and  some  of 
the  Irish  Nobilitie  of  Connaught."  The 
family  name  Merrick  is  still  in  this  neigh- 
bourhood, and  a  sobriquet  added  which 
cannot  be  mentioned  here.  The  name 
Hosty  is  also  common,  of  which  see  more 
above,  p.  326,  Note  ^. 

f  Gleann  Nemhthenne. — For  the  extent 
of  this  valley  district  see  p.  233,  Note  ™. 

s  The  Two  Bacs. — For  the  original  ex- 
tent of  this  district,  lying  principally  be- 
tween Lough  Conn  and  the  River  Moy,  in 
Tirawley,  see  p.  232,  Note  ^. 

^  Sir  Maiffiii,  i.  e.  Sir  Maigiu  Barrett, 
ancestor  of  Mac  Andrew,  chief  of  the  Two 
Bacs,  in  Tirawley.  This  Sir  Maigiu  is 
still  vividly  remembered  in  the  traditions 


Membric)  ;  Gleann  Nemhthenne*  to  Ricin,  and  the  Two  Bacs^ 
to  Sir  Maigiu"  of  Bac,  from  whom  are  the  Claim  Andrew  Barrett. 
He  gave  the  tract  extending  from  Fearsad  Tresi  to  Traigh  Miir- 
bhaigh'  to  Sir  William  Lawless,  i.  e.  the  Lawless^ ;  and  he  commit- 
ted the  keeping  and  defence  of  the  barony  of  lorrus  \_Erris]  to 
Toimin  and  to  Philip,  or  Philpin,  the  grandson  of  Toimin's  brother, 
and  of  his  race  is  Mac  PhiHp,  or  Mac  Philbin",  and  from  him  the 
Clann  Philip,  or  Philbin,  are  descended  ;  and  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  he  is  the  Philbin  who  is  traced  to  the  Burkes.  Sir  William 
Lawless,  son  of  Robert,  son  of  William,  son  of  Nicholas,  was  the 
name  of  the  Lawless  to  whom  William  Mor  na  Maighne^  gave  this 
tract  of  land  extending  from  Fearsad  Tresi  to  Traigh  Murbhaigh™. 

Envious  and  ignorant  people  have  said  between  themselves  that 
the  Clann  Mac  Robert  are  of  the  race  of  Domhnall  lorruis  O'Conor", 
but  Mac  Firbis,  namely,  James,  son  of  Diarmaid^  says  that  they  are 

not 


of  the  country, 

'  From  Fearsad  Tresi  to  Traigh  Miir- 
bhaigh,  i.  e.  the  country  of  the  Hy-Eath- 
ach  Muaidlie See  p.  232,  Note  ^. 

J  The  Lawless,  i.  e.  the  head  of  the  family 
of  that  name. 

^  Mac  Philbin He  lived  in  the  castle 

of  Dun  Mugdord,  now  Doon  castle,  about 
four  miles  to  the  east  of  Westport,  in  the 
county  of  Mayo. 

'  To  whom  William  Mor  na  Maighne 
gave  this  tract  of  land. — The  probability  is, 
that  William  Mor  na  Maighne  had  really 
made  this  distribution  of  the  lands  of 
Erris  and  Tirawley,  and  that  the  only 
error  in  this  story  is  in  stating  that  he 
made  his  distribution  of  these  lands  after 


the  battle  of  Moyne. 

™  From  Fearsad  Tresi  to  Traigh  Mur- 

bhaigh,  i.  e.  the  territory  of  Caeilli See 

pp.  8,  9,  224,  225,  where  the  situation  of 
this  district  is  distinctly  pointed  out. 

°  Domhnall  lorruis  O'Conor.  —  He  was 
the  son  of  Maghnus,  who  was  the  son  of 
the  celebrated  Muircheartach  Miiimhneach 
O'Conor.  He  made  great  efforts  to  con- 
quer Erris,  and  dwelt  in  that  territory  for 
sometime,but  was  driven  thence  in  the  year 
1273,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
INIasters,  which  do  not  mention  by  whom, 
but  we  may  well  conjecture  it  Avas  by  Wil- 
liam Mor  Barrett  of  Kilcommon,  who  was 
very  powerful  in  this  district  at  the  time. 

°  Mac  Firbis,  namely,  James,  son  of  Di- 


334 


nac  li-ea6  ceana,  ace  mac  nriec  t)o  Uilliam,  rhic  Uilliam  TTlhoip, 
na  mai^ne,  a^up  ay^  i  a  n-Durai^  coip  Oaoile  i  D-ci|i  Qrhalgaib. 

Q.  De]iiD  apoile  ^iiyi  Do  hepbeajiDacuib  (]ie  ]iaiceap  hepbeap- 
t>ai5)  .1.  hepbepcaig  a  5-ConDae  Luinnni^  an  clann  TTlec  Roibept), 
no  ITIec  hepbeapD  pom. 

Sleacra  paine.  Cappunui^  00  reacc  1  n-6pinn  le  pliocc  Uil- 
liam Con^cep  (rui^  biipc)  LionoiOi^  t)o  reacc  i  n-Gpmn  le  pliocu 
an  lapla  Ruaib.  Sliocc  pain.  Le  pliocr  Uilliam  Con^cep  rami^ 
Cappunai^  a^up  00  bunab  Saxonai^  lao,  ace  a  Depit)  apoile  gup 
t)o  pliocr  Chauaoip  TTlhoip  t)6ib ;  agup  pip  in  lapla  l?uai6  cdn- 
5at)ap. 

Sliocr  pam.  Do  na  h-uaiylib  rdmi^  anaip  le  pliocc  Uilliam 
Con^cep,  .1.  piiilib  TTlop,  mac  Sip  beapnaipo  Soonoun,  a  quo  mac 
a'TTlliilm  Cheapa,  Uaicep,  mac  "RoibeapD,  Sip  Daibi6  Duilpineac, 
Roibeapo  bapom,  Sip  Uilliam  Cappiin ;  cofp  em  map  audio  biipc, 
baipet),  a^np  Cappiin  1  5-Connaccaib,  acd  bnpc,  bapoiD,  agup 
Cappiin  1  murham. 

pocann   ceacca    bupcac    1  b-peapannup  1   o-Uip    Qmal^aib. 

peace 

^  William  the  Conqueror,  i.  e.  "William 
Fitz  Adelm  De  Burgo Seep.  71,  Note  '. 

*  Lionoideachs,  i.  e.  the  Lynotts  of  Ti- 
rawley. 

'  The  Red  Earl.— The  celebrated  Rich- 
ard De  Burgo,  Earl  of  Ulster,  who  died 
in  the  year  1326. 

"  Cathaoir  J\Ior.  —  He  was  monarch  of 
Ireland  in  the  latter  part  of  the  second 
century,  and  the  ancestor  of  almost  all 
the  chieftain  families  of  Leinster.  There 
seems  to  be  no  truth  in  the  assertion  that 
the  Carews  are  descended  from  him. 

^  Sdondun,  now  written  Staunton. 


armaid. — See  pedigree  of  the  Mac  Firbises 
in  p.  102.  This  James  was  evidently  the 
compiler  of  the  Leabhar  Balbh,  or  Dumb 
Book,  which  is  so  often  referred  to  as  au- 
thority by  our  author. 

P  Daoil,  now  anglice  Deel,  a  well  known 

river  in  Tirawley Vide   supra,    p.   8, 

Note  8. 

^  Carrunachs.  —  This  is  the  name  by 
which  the  Irish  still  call  the  Carews  of 
Munster.  For  some  account  of  this  family 
see  Smith's  History  of  the  County  of  Cork, 
vol.  i.  pp.  51  and  93,  and  vol.  ii.  pp.  45 
and  68. 


335 

not,  but  that  Robert^  their  ancestor,  was  the  grandson  of  Wilham, 
the  son  of  WiUiam  Mor  na  Maighne,  and  their  inheritance  hes  along 
the  DaoiF,  in  Tir  Amhalgaidh. 

Others  say  that  this  Clann  Mac  Robert,  or  Mac  Herbert,  is  of 
the  Herbeardachs  (who  are  called  Hearbardaigh),  i.  e.  the  Herberts 
of  the  county  of  Limerick. 

From  different  fragments.  The  Carrunachs''  came  to  Ireland 
with  the  descendants  of  William  the  Conqueror""  (understand  Burk). 
The  Lionoideachs'  came  to  Ireland  with  the  descendants  of  the  Red 
Earl'.  Another  authority  says  that  the  Carrunachs  came  with  the 
descendants  of  William  the  Conqueror,  and  that  they  are  of  Saxon 
origin,  while  others  say  that  they  are  of  the  race  of  Cathaoir  Mor", 
and  that  they  came  with  the  Red  Earl. 

Another  authority.  Of  the  nobles  who  came  from  the  East 
[England]  with  the  descendants  of  William  the  Conqueror  were  the 
following,  viz.,  Philip  Mor,  the  son  of  Sir  Bernard  Sdondun''  a  quo 
Mac  a  Mhihdh'^  of  Ceara,  Walter  Fitz  Robert,  Sir  David  Dulpin'', 
Robert  Baroid'',  Sir  William  Carrun.  It  is  right  to  observe,  that  as 
there  are  Burc,  Baired,  and  Carrun,  in  Connaught ;  there  are  Burc, 
Baroid,  and  Carrun,  in  Munster. 

The  cause  of  the  coming  of  the  Burkes  to  take  possession  of 

lands 

^  Mac  a  Mhilidh,  i.  e.  son  of  the  Knight,  naught.     From  this  it  would  appear  that 

This  name  is  still  common  in  the  barony  they  are  not  the  same  family,  and  that  the 

of  Carra,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  and  an-  name  of  the  Munster  family  should  be 

glicised  Mac  Aveely,   but  many   of  the  properly  written  Barrott  in  English, 
family  have  resumed  the  original  name  of         ^  Sgornach  bhuid  bhearrtha. — This  so- 

Staunton.  briquet,  indicating  that  the  steward  was  a 

^  Dulpin. — Quere,  Dolphin  ?  glutton  and  a  libertine,  must  remain  con- 

^  Baroid.  —  The  family  of  Barrett,  as  cealed  under  the  veil  of  the  original  lan- 

already  remarked,  is  called  in  Irish,  Baroid,  guage. 

the  0  being  pronounced  long,  in  Munster,  ^  Tobar  na  Sgornaighe,  i.  Q.fons  Gulce. 

but  Bairead,  the  e  being  long,  in  Con-  This  well  has  since  run  dry,  but  the  old 


33^ 

peacr  Dia  m-bdccap  baipeaDui^  a  D-cpeyi  Uhipe  Qrhal^aba  (maji 
a  oubapnrmp),  ^up  cuippioo  a  maop  t)'d  n-^aipn  S^opnach  buiD 
bedppra,  Do  rogbdil  ciopa  ap  LionoiDeacuib;  mapbuio  CionoiOij; 
an  TTiaop  fin,  a^up  cuipio  6  lapam  i  t>-cobap  t)'d  n-^aipreap  Uobap 
na  S^opnai^e,  Idirh  pip  m  '^ha]]]\ar]  dpo,  caob  nap  t)o  caiplen 
Capna,  i  t)-Ufp  QrhalgaiD ;  ap  b-pd^ail  an  pgeoil  pm  Do  6baipe- 
Dacuib,  cionoilit)  50  h-apmra  ap  amup  na  Cionomeacb,  50  pu^ 
neapu  oppa,  ^up  ob  1  poga  cu^paD  baipeaoui^  Do  Lionooeaciiib,  a 
b-pip  00  ballab  no  do  ppocaD  ;  conaD  \  poga  pu^paD  LionoiDigb, 
cpe  aiple  apoile  peanoipe  Doib  pen,  a  n-Dalla6,  Do  bpij;  50  n-^inpiDe 
6  Dalluib,  a^iip  nac  ^mpiDe  6  peapuib  ppocDa.  ^abuiD  bdipeDai^ 
DO  pndraDuib  1  pinlib  bionoiDeac,  a^up  ^ac  peap  map  Do  DallDip 
Diob,  Do  cuipDfp  Do  imreacu  Chlocain  na  n-Dall  Idirh  le  Capna 
laD,  D'piop  an  ni-bec  a  bea^  Do  pabapc  aca,  a^up  ^ibe  Diob  do  im- 
^eaD  an  clocdn  50  ceapc,  Do  h-au-Dallca  e  !  QuaiD  lapom  pmuai- 
niD  CionoiDi^  cionnup  Do  Di^eolDaoip  a  n-anbpolca  ap  bbdipeaD- 
cuib,  ^onaD  f  aipeag  rheanman  puaippioD  6  a  pmpiop,  Dalca  Do 
^lacaD  6'n  apoile  curhaccac  Do  Chlomn  Uilliam  biipc,  baDap  pia 
pm  6  Shliab  piiap,  conaD  cuige  pm  Do  bearai^  an  UonoiDec  eac 
uaibpeac,  noc  pugpaD   bionoiDi^  led  Do  ^lacaD  an  Dalca,  lonnup 

^oTTiab 

natives  of  the  place  point  out  its  situation  Cloclian,  or  row  of  stepping-stones,  is  still 

to  the  north  of  an  old  road  leading  through  pointed  out  near  Cam  Castle,  in  the  town- 

the   townland    of  Carn,    within    twenty  land  of  Garranard,  parish  of  Moygawnagh, 

perches  of  the  townland  of  Garranard,  in  and  barony  of  Tirawley. 

the  parish  of  Moygawnagh,  and  barony  of  ^  One  derived  from  their  ancestors,  that 

Tirawley.  is,  the  ancestors  of  the  Lynotts  had  seen 

"  The  castle  of  Cams For  the  situation  that  their  tribe  were  fast  sinking  under 

of  this  castle,  and  the  townland  of  Gar-  the  Barretts,  and  they  instilled  into  the 

ranard,  in  Tirawley,  see  Ordnance  Map  of  minds  of  their  descendants  that  the  only 

Mayo,  sheet  2 1 .  way  in  which  they  could  check  their  ty- 

^  Clochan  na  n-dall,  i.  e.  the  causeAvay  ranny  Avas  by  adopting  one  of  the  Burkes 

or  stepping-stones  of  the  blind  men.   This  as  their  leader,  by  means  of  whom  they 


337 

lands  in  Tir  Amhalgaidh.  At  one  time  when  the  Barretts  had 
supremacy  over  Tir  Amhalgaidh  (as  we  have  said),  they  sent  their 
steward,  who  was  called  Sgornach  bhuid  bhearrtha^,  to  exact  rents 
from  the  Lynotts.  The  Lynotts  killed  this  steward,  and  cast  his 
body  into  a  well  called  Tobar  na  Sgornaighe'',  near  Garranard,  to 
the  west  of  the  castle  of  Cams''  in  Tir  Amhalgaidh.  When  the  Bar- 
retts had  received  intelligence  of  this,  they  assembled  their  armed 
forces  and  attacked  the  Lynotts,  and  subdued  them.  And  the 
Barretts  gave  the  Lynotts  their  choice  of  two  modes  of  punish- 
ment, namely,  to  have  their  men  either  bhnded  or  emasculated ;  and 
the  Lynotts,  by  advice  of  some  of  the  elders  among  them,  took  the 
choice  of  being  blinded,  because  blind  men  could  propagate  their 
species,  whereas  emasculated  men  could  not.  The  Barretts  then 
thrust  needles  into  the  eyes  of  the  Lynotts,  and  accordingly  as  each 
man  of  them  was  blinded,  they  compelled  him  to  cross  over  the 
stepping-stones  of  Clochan  na  n-dall,  near  Carns*^,  to  see  if  more  or 
less  of  sight  remained  with  them,  and  if  any  of  them  crossed  the 
Clochan  without  stumbhne^  he  was  taken  back  and  re-blinded !  Some 
time  after  this  the  Lynotts  meditated  how  they  could  revenge  their 
animosities  on  the  Barretts,  and  the  contrivance  which  occurred  to 
their  minds, — one  derived  from  their  ancestors'^, — was  to  procure  a 
dalta^,  \i.e,.an  adopted  son~\,  from  some  powerful  man  of  the  Clann  Wil- 
liam Burke,  who,  previously  to  this  period,  had  inhabited  the  south 
of  the  mountain  [Nephin] ;  and  to  this  end  Lynott  fed  a  spirited  horse 
which  the  Lynotts  took  with  them  to  receive  the  adopted  son,  in  order 

that 

might  not  only  shake  off  the  yoke  of  their  nus,  a  foster-son,  a  ward  ;  but  in  this 
oppressors,  but  perhaps  finally  subdue  passage  it  cannot  be  understood  as  applied 
them.  to  a  child  to  be  nursed  or  fostered,  but 

*  A  dalta — This  word  is  generally  used  must  be  translated  a  ward  or  adopted 
by  Irish  writers  in  the  sense  of  an  alum-      son. 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2  X 


33^ 

50Tiia6  e  bub  Dalua  6oib  an  biificac  t)o  inipia6pat>  an  c-eac  pin ;  50 
yidim^  leo  "map  pm  UeapoiD  TTlaoil  biipc  t)o  6alra,  noc  00  mapbab 
le  6dipet)aciiib  laporh.  Conao  1  n-a  epic  pm  cugacmp  baipebaij; 
occ  5-ceacparhna  t)eu5  peapomn  t)o  bhupcaciiib ;  conio  cuiD  00  lapp 
an  Cfon6it)eac,  oit)e  Ueapoit),  t)o'n  epic,  .i.  poinn  na  h-eapca,  ajup 
f  pomn  ru5  uippe,  a  pdgbail  na  poibeabla  ap  pea6  Uipe  Qrhalgaba 
uile,  50  Tn-bet)fp  bupcai^  in  ^ac  die  innue,  t)o  boipb  ap  blidipea- 
Dacuib  1  b-Uip  Qrhal^aib,  gup  beanpao  a  b-peaponna  Diob 
D'uprhop;  agup  gup  beanpat)  pa  6eoig,  anno  bomini.  1652,  Spipig 
Saxonca  Oilibep  Cpomuell  610b  uile  e,  map  ap  lep  anoip  gan 
bdipeaoac  na  bupcach,  nf  dipbim  Clanna  piacpac,  1  b-peaponnup 
661b. 


'"  Killed  by  the  Barretts This  is  still 

vividly  remembered  in  the  traditions  of 
the  country,  and  the  spot  is  pointed  out 
where  Teaboid  Maol  (i.  e.  the  Bald)  Burke 
was  killed  by  the  Barretts.  The  recollection 
of  it  has  been  kept  alive  in  certain  verses 
which  were  composed  on  the  occasion,  of 
which  the  following  quatrain  is  often  re- 
peated in  the  barony  of  Tyrawley. 


Uanjaoap  6aipeaDai j  na  cipe, 
TJinneaoap  gntoih  nac  paib  ceapc, 
tDhoipceaoap   puil  do  b'  uaiple  ind  an 

pfon, 
Q5  peaodn  caol  Chuipp  na  pac. 

"  The  Barretts  of  the  county  came, 

They  perpetrated  a  deed,  which  was  not  just, 
They  shed  blood  which  was  nobler  than  wine 
At  the  narrow  brook  of  Cornasack." 


339 

that  the  Burke  who  should  break  that  steed  might  be  their  adopted 
son.  And  thus  they  obtained  Teaboid  Maol  Burke  as  an  adopted  son, 
who  was  afterwards  killed  by  the  Barretts^.  So  that  it  was  in  eric  for 
him  that  the  Barretts  gave  up  to  the  Burkes  eighteen  quarters  of  land^ ; 
and  the  share  which  Lynott,  the  adopted  father  of  Teaboid,  asked  of 
this  eric  was-  the  distribution  of  the  mulct,  and  the  distribution  he 
made  of  it  was,  that  it  should  be  divided  throughout  all  Tir  Amhal- 
gaidh,  in  order  that  the  Burkes  might  be  stationed  in  every  part  of 
it  as  plagues  to  the  Barretts,  and  to  draw  the  country  from  them. 
And  thus  the  Burkes  came  over  the  Barretts  in  Tir  Amhalgaidh, 
and  took  nearly  the  whole  of  their  lands  from  them ;  but  at  length 
the  Saxon  heretics  of  Oliver  Cromwell  took  it  from  them  all,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1652;  so  that  now  there  is  neither  Barrett  nor 
Burke,  not  to  mention  the  Clann  Fiachrach,  in  possession  of  any 
lands  there. 


8  Eighteen  quarters  of  land. — A  quarter 
of  land,  generally  containing  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  is  the  fourth  part  of  a 
Ballybetagh,  which  was  the  thirtieth  part 
of  a  triocha  ched,  or  barony.  The  exact 
period  at  which  the  Burkes,   or  Lower 


Clann  William,  first  settled  in  Tirawley 
has  not  yet  been  exactly  determined,  but 
it  must  have  been  before  the  year  1458, 
as  we  have  already  seen  that  a  Eemond 
Burke  was  then  living  at  Iniscoe. — See  p. 
1 24,  and  Addenda. 


2X2 


ADDENDA. 


343 


ADDENDA. 


Pedigree  of  O'Dowd,  or  O'Dowda. 

THE  large  Genealogical  Table,  which  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  this  volume,  exhibits 
the  descent  of  the  principal  families  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race  in  the  order  of  their 
seniority,  as  far  as  that  has  been  discovered,  from  their  great  ancestor  Fiachra,  the  son 
of  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin,  who  was  the  sixth  from  Conn  of  the  Hundred  Battles, 
to  as  late  a  period  as  the  Editor  has  been  able  to  trace  them  by  the  evidence  of  authentic 
genealogical  manuscripts,  the  Irish  Annals,  the  English-Irish  records,  and  family 
documents.  As  in  the  pedigrees  of  the  Hy-Many  race,  it  has  been  thought  advisable 
to  place  all  the  principal  lines  in  one  view,  on  a  single  sheet,  that  it  might  be  after- 
wards referred  to  in  the  account  which  will  be  given  of  each  line  separately. 

I.  Eochaidh  Muighmheadhoin  (pronounced  Eochy  Moyvane),  King  of  Connaught, 
was  proclaimed  monarch  of  Ireland  in  the  year  358,  and,  after  a  reign  of  eight  years, 
died  at  Tara.  He  married  Mongfinn,  daughter  of  Fidach,  of  the  royal  family  of 
Munster,  and  sister  of  Crimhthann  Mor  Mac  Fidaigh,  who  succeeded  Eochaidh  as 

monarch  of  Ireland,  according  to  the  Four  Masters,  in  the  year  366 (See  Battle  of 

Magh  Rath,  Additional  Notes  I.)  By  Mongfinn  this  monarch  had  four  sons,  namely, 
I,  Brian,  the  ancestor  of  the  Hy-Briuin  tribes,  of  whom  the  O'Conors  of  Connaught 
were  the  most  distinguished  ;  2,  Fiachra,  the  ancestor  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  tribes,  of 
whom  the  O'Dowds,  O'Heynes,  and  O'Shaughnessys  were,  at  least  in  later  ages,  by 
far  the  most  distinguished  families;  3,  Fergus;  and,  4,  OilioU,  from  whom  Tir  OilioUa, 
now  the  barony  of  Tirerill,  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  received  its  name.  Queen 
Mongfinn,  like  the  Empress  Agrippina,  actuated  by  motives  of  ambition,  for  the  ag- 
grandizement of  her  offspring,  poisoned  her  brother,  the  monarch  Crimthann,  on  Inis 
Dornglas,  a  small  island  in  the  river  Moy,  in  the  hope  that  her  eldest  son,  Brian,  might 
be  immediately  seated  on  the  throne  of  Ireland  ;  and  in  order  the  more  efiectuaUy  to 
deceive  her  brother  as  to  the  contents  of  the  proffered  cup,  she  drank  of  it  herself  first, 

and 


344 

and  died  of  the  poison  soon  after ;  her  brother,  on  his  way  home  to  Munster,  died 
at  a  place  in  the  south  of  the  present  county  of  Clare,  which,  from  that  memorable 
event,  received  the  appellation  of  Sliabh  Oighidh  an  righ,  or  the  mountain  of  the  death 
of  the  king.  It  has  been,  however,  remarked  by  ancient  and  modern  Irish  writers 
that  this  execrable  act  of  Mongfinn  had  not  the  desired  effect,  for  that  neither  her  son 
Brian,  nor  any  of  her  posterity,  was  ever  monarch  of  Ireland,  except  Turlogh  O'Conor 
and  his  son  Roderic.  According  to  all  our  ancient  authorities  King  Eochaidh  had  a 
second  wife,  Carinna,  who  is  said  to  have  been  of  old  Saxon  descent,  and  who  was  the 
mother  of  the  youngest,  though  by  far  the  most  celebrated,  of  his  sons,  namely,  Niall 
of  the  Nine  Hostages,  the  ancestor  of  O'Neill  of  Ulster,  and  all  the  other  families  of  the 
Hy-Niall  race.  It  is  stated  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  fol.  145,  b,  a,  that  the  poison- 
ino-  of  her  brother  Crimthann  was  of  no  avail  to  Queen  Mongfinn,  for  that  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  the  son  of  King  Eochaidh  by  his  second  wife,  and  who  had  been  the 
general  of  King  Crimthann's  forces,  succeeded  as  monarch  of  Ireland  immediately  after 
the  poisoning  of  Crimthann.  This  clearly  shows  either  that  Carinna  was  Eochaidh's 
first  wife,  or  that  he  had  the  two  together,  for  Mongfinn  survived  him  thirteen  years, 
and  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages,  the  son,  as  we  are  told,  of  the  second  wife,  was  of  age 
to  succeed  as  monarch  immediately  after  Mongfinn  had  poisoned  her  brother  and  her- 
self. However  this  may  have  been,  we  read  that  in  the  life-time  of  Niall  of  the 
Nine  Hostages,  Brian,  his  brother  of  the  half  blood,  became  King  of  Connaught,  and 
his  second  eldest  brother  of  the  half  blood,  Fiachra,  the  ancestor  of  the  O'Dowds  and  of 
all  the  Hy-Fiachrach  tribes,  became  chief  of  the  district  extending  from  Carn  Fearadh- 
aigh,  near  Limerick,  to  Magh  Mucroimhe,  near  Athenry.  But  dissensions  soon  arose 
between  Brian  and  his  brother  Fiachra,  and  the  result  was  that  a  battle  was  fought 
between  them,  in  which  the  latter  was  defeated,  captured,  and  delivered  as  a  hostage 
into  the  hands  of  his  half  brother,  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hostages.  After  this,  however, 
Dathi,  the  son  of  Fiachra,  a  very  warlike  youth,  waged  war  on  his  uncle  Brian,  and 
challenged  him  to  a  pitched  battle,  at  a  place  called  Damh-chluain,  situated  not 
far  from  Knockmaa  hill,  near  Tuam,  in  the  now  county  of  Galway.  In  this  battle,  in 
which  Dathi  was  assisted  by  Crimthann,  son  of  Enna  Cennselach,  King  of  Leinster, 
Brian  and  his  forces  were  routed,  and  pursued  from  the  field  of  battle  to  Tulcha 
Domhnaill,  where  he  was  overtaken  and  slain  by  Crimthann,  son  of  Enna  Cennselach. 
The  body  of  Brian  was  buried  at  the  place  where  he  fell,  but  after  a  long  lapse  of 
years  St.  Beo  Aedh,  or  Aidits  vivax,  of  Roscam,  near  Galway,  removed  his  bones  from 
that  place,  and  buried  them  at  Roscam  ;  and  the  writer  of  the  tract  on  the  battle 
of  Damh-cluain,  preserved  in  the  Book  of  Ballymote,  adds,  "  the  burial-place  of  Brian 
is  to  be  seen  there  at  this  day." 

2.  Fiachra 


345 

2.  Fiachra  Foltsnathach,  i.  e.  of  the  flowing  hair  ^  son  of  King  Eochaidh. — After  the  fall 
of  Brian,  the  eldest  son  of  King  Eochaidh,  as  before  recited,  Fiachra,  the  second  son, 
was  set  at  liberty,  and  installed  King  of  Connaught,  and  enjoyed  that  dignity  for 
twelve  years,  during  which  period  he  was  general  of  the  forces  of  his  brother  Niall. 
His  death  happened  in  the  following  manner,  according  to  the  Lecan  records  : — He 
went  on  one  occasion  Avith  the  king's  forces  to  raise  tribute  in  Munster,  but  the  inha- 
bitants of  that  province,  who  detested  him  and  his  race,  on  account  of  the  conduct  of 
his  mother  in  having  poisoned  the  preceding  monarch,  who  was  of  their  own  province 
and  blood,  refused  to  pay  the  tributes  to  King  Niall,  and  defied  him  to  battle.     They 
met  the  king's  forces  in  the  territory  of  Caenraighe,  now  the  barony  of  Kenry,  situated 
in  the  county  of  Limerick,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Shannon,  where  they  were  defeated, 
and  obliged  to  give  up  hostages  for  their  future  allegiance.     In  this  battle,  however, 
Fiachra  was  severely  wounded  by  Maighe  Mescora,  one  of  the  warlike  tribe  of  the 
Ernaans  of  Munster,  and  he  set  out  in  triumph  for  Tara ;  but  when  they  had  arrived 
in  the  territory  of  Hy-Mac  Uais,  in  Meath,  the  Munster  hostages  found  Brian  unpro- 
tected and  in  a  very  feeble  state  from  his  wounds,    and  being  suddenly  actuated  by 
motives  of  revenge,  they  seized  upon  his  person  and  buried  him  alive  in  the  earth  ! 
Thus  fell  Fiachra  a  victim  to  his  own  incautiousness,  according  to  the  Lecan  records, 
which  do  not  tell  us  a  word  about  what  his  own  chieftains  were  doing,  when  he  was 
left  thus  barbarously  unprotected.     According  to  the  Book  of  Lecan  this  Fiachra  had 
five  sons,  and  if  we  can  rely  upon  the  order  in  which  they  are  mentioned  we  should 
feel  inclined  to  think  that  the  monarch  Dathi  was  the  youngest.     They  are  mentioned 
in  the  following  order  : — i,  Earc  Culbhuidhe,  i.  e.  of  the  yellow  hair,  so  called  because 
his  hair  was  of  the  colour  of  pure  gold,  who  was  the  ancestor  of  the  men  of  Ceara  ; 
2,  Breasal,  whose  race  became  extinct  ;  3,   Conaire,  from  whom  a  St.  Sechnall  is  said 
to  have  sprung  ;  4,  Amhalgaidh,  or  Awley,  King  of  Connaught  (and  ancestor  of  seve- 
ral ancient  families  in  Tirawley  and  Erris,  in  the  county  of  Mayo),  who  died  in  the  year 
449;  for  some  account  of  whom  the  reader  is  referred  back  to  pp.  5-13  of  this  volume. 
The  seven  sons  of  this  Amhalgaidh,  together  with  twelve  thousand  men,  are  said  to 
have  been  baptized  in  one  day  by  St.  Patrick,  at  Forrach  Mac  n- Amhalgaidh,  near 

Killala (See  Jocelin's  Life  of  St.  Patrick,  c.  59,  and  Colgan,   Trias  Thaum.  p.  141, 

col.  2)  ;  and,  5,  Dathi,  the  youngest,  but  most  illustrious,  of  the  sons  of  Fiachra,  and 
the  ancestor  of  all  the  chiefs  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  race. 

3.  Dathi,  son  of  Fiachra  Foltsnathach On  the  death  of  his  father,  Fiachra,  this 

warlike  chieftain  became  King  of  Connaught,  and  on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Niall  of 
the  Nine  Hostages,  in  the  year  405  or  406,  he  became  monarch  of  Ireland,  leaving  the 
government  of  Connaught  to  his  less  warlike  brother  Amhalgaidh,  or  Awley,  who 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  2  Y  lived 


346 

lived  to  receive  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  from  the  lips  of  the  Irish  apostle,  Patrick, 
and  who  is  set  down  in  all  the  lists  of  the  kings  of  Connanght,  as  the  first  Christian 
king  of  that  province.  King  Dathi,  following  the  example  of  his  predecessor,  Niall, 
not  only  ventured  to  invade  the  coasts  of  Gaul,  but  forced  his  way  to  the  very  foot  of 
the  Alps,  where  he  was  killed,  it  is  said,  by  a  flash  of  lightning,  leaving  the  throne  of 
Ireland  to  be  filled  by  a  line  of  Christian  kings.  His  body  was  carried  home  by  his 
son  Amhalgaidh,  who  took  the  command  of  the  Irish  forces  after  the  death  of  his 
father,  and  by  his  four  servants  of  trust,  Dungal,  Flanngus,  Tuathal,  and  Tomaltach, 
who  carried  it  to  the  royal  cemetery  at  Cruachan,  called  Reilig  na  riogh,  where  it  was 
interred,  and  where,  to  this  day,  the  spot  is  marked  by  a  red  pillar  stone. —  Vide  supra, 
p.  24,  Note  ™. 

After  the  death  of  King  Dathi,  Laoghaire,  or  Leary,  the  son  of  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  became  monarch  of  Ireland,  and  enjoyed  that  dignity,  as  the  Book  of  Lecan 
states,  for  thirty  years  after  the  arrival  of  St.  Patrick. 

The  monarch  Dathi  married  three  wives,  but  the  Irish  authorities  differ  much 
about  their  order  ;  the  fact  therefore  probably  was  that  he  had  the  three  together  ; 
be  this,  however,  as  it  may,  the  Book  of  Lecan  states  that  he  married  Kuadh,  or 
Rufina,  the  daughter  of  Airti  Uichtleathan,  by  whom  he  had  Oilioll  Molt,  monarch 
of  Ireland,  and  Fiachra  Ealgach,  the  ancestor  of  O'DoAvd ;  he  married,  secondly, 
Fial,  the  daughter  of  Eochaidh,  by  whom  he  had  Eochaidh  Breac,  the  ancestor  of 
O'Heyne  and  O'Shaughnessy ;  and,  thirdly,  Eithne,  the  daughter  of  Orach,  or  Con- 
rach  Cas,  who,  according  to  some  authorities,  was  the  mother  of  his  son  King  Oilioll 
Molt.  But  as  it  would  be  now  idle  to  speculate  on  which  of  Dathi's  sons  were 
youngest  or  eldest,  the  Editor  will  here  follow  the  authority  of  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
which  states  that  Dathi  had  twenty-four  sons,  of  whom,  however,  only  twenty  are 
given  by  name,  and  set  down  in  the  following  order  : — i,  Oilioll  Molt :  he  succeeded 
as  king  of  Connaught  in  the  year  449,  and  after  the  death  of  the  monarch  Laoghaire, 
in  463,  became  monarch  of  all  Ireland,  and  reigned  twenty  years.  His  two  grand- 
sons, Eoghan  Bel  and  OilioU  Inbanna,  became  Kings  of  Connaught,  but  his  race 
became  extinct  in  his  great  grandsons  ;  2,  Fiachra  Ealgach,  the  ancestor  of  O'Dowd, 
and  several  other  families  ;  3,  Eochaidh  Breac,  i.  e.  Eochy  the  Freckled,  the  ancestor 
of  O'Heyne,  O'Shaughnessy,  and  many  other  families  ;  4,  Eochaidli  Meann  ;  5,  Fiachra, 
who  is  said  to  have  been  detained  as  a  hostage  in  the  hands  of  King  Niall  of  the  Nine 
Hostages,  and  who  is  said  to  have  left  a  family  called  Hy-Fiachrach,  at  a  place  called 
Cuil  Fabhair,  in  Meath  ;  6,  Earc  ;  7,  Core  ;  8,  Onbecc  ;  9,  Beccon  ;  10,  Mac  Uais  ; 
II,  Aengus  the  Longhanded  ;  12,  Cathal ;  13,  Faelchu,  from  whom  are  descended  the 
tribe  of  Hy-Faelchon  ;   14,  Dun  glial ;   15,  Conrach  ;   16,  Neara;   17,  Amhalgaidh,  the 

son 


347 

son  of  Eufina,  the  daughter  of  Airtigh  Uichtleathan,  who  was  born  on  Inis  Awley,  in 
Lough  Conn  (Lib.  Lee.  fol.  247),  from  whom  descended  the  tribe  called  Cinel  Becon,  in 
Meath,  and  the  Mac  Firbises  of  Lecan  ;  18,  Blachadh  ;  19,  Cugamhna,  from  whom 
descended  the  family  called  Mac  Congamhna,  who  were  located  in  Cinel  Fechin,  in  the 
south  of  the  now  county  of  Galway  :  and,  20,  Aedh,  the  ancestor  of  the  Hy-Aedha, 
who  were  seated  in  Burren,  in  Thomond. 

If  the  sons  of  Dathi  be  here  set  down  according  to  their  ages  it  will  follow  that 
Fiachra  Ealgach  was  his  second  son,  and  that  upon  the  failure  of  issue  in  the  line  of 
Oilioll  Molt,  the  representative  of  Dathi  is  to  be  sought  for  in  the  line  of  Fiachra  Ealgach. 
O'Flaherty,  however,  though  he  had  the  Book  of  Lecan  before  him,  says  that  Eochaidh 
Breac,  the  ancestor  of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Dathi,  that 
Oilioll  Molt,  monarch  of  Ireland,  was  the  second,  and  Fiachra  Ealgach,  the  ancestor  of 
the  Ily-Fiachrach  of  the  Moy,  the  third  son.  But,  as  already  observed,  it  would  be 
now  idle  to  conjecture  which  is  right,  and  the  Editor  has  followed  the  Book  of  Lecan, 
which,  as  being  the  local  authority,  is  more  likely  to  be  correct  in  the  genealogy  of 
this  race  than  any  other  manuscript. 

4.  Fiachra  Ealgach,  son  of  Dathi. — The  Irish  annals  have  preserved  no  memorial 
of  this  Fiachra,  as  the  descendants  of  the  monarch  Oilioll  Molt,  the  eldest  son  of  Dathi, 
were  dominant  in  Connaught  in  his  reign,  but  the  Lecan  genealogical  books  inform  us 
that  he  was  detained  as  a  hostage  in  the  hands  of  the  monarch  Niall  of  the  Nine  Hos- 
tages,— which  however  is  scarcely  credible, — and  that  the  territory  of  Tir  Fiachrach 
Muaidhe,  now  the  barony  of  Tireragh,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  Moy,  took  its  name 
from  him.  He  had,  according  to  these  records,  two  sons,  namely,  i,  Amhalgaidh,  or 
Awley,  from  whom  descended  several  families  formerly  seated  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley , 
among  whom,  according  to  some  authorities,  are  to  be  reckoned  the  family  of  Mac 
Firbis,  but  this  is  very  uncertain,  as  is  every  thing  connected  with  the  early  history 
of  that  family.  By  this  Amhalgaidh  was  erected  the  celebrated  Carn  Amhalgaidh,  on 
which  the  chiefs  of  the  northern  Hy-Fiachrach  were  afterwards  for  ages  inaugurated, 
concerning  which  see  more  in  the  article  on  the  inauguration  of  the  O'Dowds.  Fiachra 
had,  2,  Maoldubh,  or  Maolduin,  the  ancestor  of  the  subsequent  chiefs. 

5.  Maoldubh,  or  Maolduin,  son  of  Fiachra  Ealgach. — No  memorial  of  this  personage 
is  preserved  in  the  authentic  Irish  annals,  nor  in  the  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac 
Firbises,  except  that  he  is  said  to  have  given  name  to  a  fort  called  Dun  Maolduibh, 
near  the  Eiver  Easkey,  where  he  was  born  and  fostered. 

6.  Tiobraide. — He  was  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach  in  the  time  of  St.  Columbkille,  to 
whom  he  granted  a  tract  of  land  around  the  hill  of  Cnoc  na  Maili,  now  the  Eed  Hill 

2  Y  2  of 


348 

of  Skreen,  and  on  which  the  church  of  Skreen  was  afterwards  erected  by  St.  Adamnan. 
He  was  the  father  of 

7.  Donnchadh  Muirsce,  i.  e.  Donogh  of  Muirisc,  a  district  in  the  territory  of  Tir 
Fiachrach  of  the  Moy.  He  was  King  of  Connaught  for  four  years,  and  was  slain, 
according  to  the  Four  Masters,  in  the  battle  of  Corann,  in  the  year  681.  "  A.  D.  681. 
Donnchadh  Muirsce  \_son  of  Tiohraide\  son  of  Maoldubh,  King  of  Connaught,  was 
slain  in  the  battle  of  Corann,  in  which  were  also  slain  Colga,  the  son  of  Blathmac,  and 
Fergus,  the  son  of  Maolduin,  chief  of  the  Cinel  Cairbre." 

In  this  entry  the  Four  Masters  state  that  Donnchadh  Muirsce  was  the  son  of 
Maoldubh,  but  we  know  from  the  most  ancient  and  authentic  lists  of  the  Kings  of 
Connaught,  that  he  was  the  grandson  of  Maolduin,  and  the  son  of  Tiobraide.  He  had 
two  sons,  Innreachtach,  King  of  Connaught  for  two  years,  who  had  a  son  Oilioll,  King 
of  Connaught  for  eight  years,  who  had  a  son  Cathal  mac  Oiliolla,  who  became  chief  of 
Hy- Fiachrach,  and  died  in  the  year  812,  but  of  whose  race  no  further  account  is  pre- 
served. The  second  son  of  Donnchadh  Muirsce  was  Oilioll,  the  ancestor  of  O'Dowd, 
through  whom  the  line  of  chiefs  was  continued. 

8.  Oilioll  son  of  Donnchadh  Muirsce No  memorial  of  him  is  preserved  in  any  of 

our  records  except  the  mere  statement  that  he  was  the  son  of  Donnchadh  Muirsce, 
King  of  Connaught,  and  the  brother  of  Innreachtach,  King  of  Connaught,  who  was 
slain  in  the  year  718. 

9.  Cathal,  son  of  Oilioll — No  account  of  him  is  found  in  history,  except  that  he  is 
mentioned  as  the  grandson  of  a  King  of  Connaught,  and  the  father  of  another,  namely,  of 

10.  Donncatha  Mac  Cathail. — In  the  authentic  lists  of  the  Kings  of  Connaught 
this  Donncatha,  who  is  called  son  of  Cathal,  son  of  Oilioll,  son  of  Donnchadh  Muirsce, 
is  said  to  have  governed  Connaught  for  eighteen  years ;  and  his  death  is  entered  in  the 
Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  at  the  year  768. 

1 1 .  Connmhach — In  the  time  of  this  Connmhach  the  government  of  the  kingdom 
of  Connaught  was  transferred  to  the  race  of  Guaire  Aidhne,  who  resided  in  the  south 
of  the  province,  and  soon  after  wholly  to  the  Hy-Briuin,  of  whom  the  O'Conors  of 
Connaught  were  the  principal  family  ;  so  that  Connmhach  did  not  figure  among  the 
conspicuous  characters  of  his  age,  and  the  Irish  annalists  have  therefore  preserved  no 
notice  of  him.  The  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac  Firbises,  however,  inform  us  that 
he  was  the  ancestor  of  all  the  succeeding  chiefs  of  the  Northern  Hy-Fiachrach  race, 
whose  country,  before  the  Anglo-Norman  invasion,  extended  from  the  Eiver  Robe  to 
the  River  Cowney,  at  DrumclifF,  and  from  the  coasts  of  Erris,  eastwards,  to  the 
boundary  of  O'Rourke's  country.     He  had  two  sons,  Caomhan,  the  ancestor  of  the 

O'Caomhan 


349 

O'Caomhan  family,  who  sunk  into  obscurity  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  Dubhda, 
or  Dowda,  the  ancestor  of  the  O'Dowd,  or  O'Dowda  family. 

The  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac  Firbises  contain  some  amusing  stories,  pur- 
porting to  give  a  reason  why  the  race  of  Caomhan,  the  eldest  son  of  Connmhach,  was 
set  aside  and  the  race  of  Dubhda  put  in  their  place  as  chiefs  of  the  Northern  Hy-Fiach- 
rach,  but  as  these  have  been  already  given  from  the  text  of  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  remark  here  that  Avhatever  truth  there  may  be  in  the  seniority  of 
Caomhan,  his  race  was  considered  in  later  times  the  senior  branch  of  the  descendants  of 
the  monarch  Dathi,  and  therefore  their  chief  enjoyed  many  privileges  which  no  other 
family  of  the  race  were  entitled  to ;  such  as  to  take  the  first  place  at  the  banquet,  to  be 
the  chief  man  at  the  inauguration  of  the  O'Dowd,  and  to  give  out  their  first  arms,  or 
military  weapons,  to  the  youth  of  Hy-Fiachrach.  How  they  first  lost  the  chieftainship 
of  the  Hy-Fiachrach  it  would  be  now  useless  to  inquire,  but  it  may  be  remarked  that 
they  are  not  the  only  senior  branch  of  a  great  race  in  Ireland  who  have  been  laid  aside 
by  more  powerful  junior  rivals,  and  we  cannot  now  admit  any  reason  for  O'Dowd's 
superiority  to  them  than  that  his  tribe  became  more  numerous  and  more  warlike,  and 
compelled  them  to  surrender  all  claims  to  the  chieftainship  of  the  Northern  Hy- 
Fiachrach  by  force  of  arms. 

1 2.  Dubhda,  the  second  son  of  Connmhach,  He  is  the  ancestor  after  whom  the 
family  of  O'Dubhda,  anglice  O'Dowda,  or  O'Dowd,  have  taken  their  surname.  The 
name  Dubhda  signifies  a  black  complexioned  or  black-haired  man,  and  the  prefix  O' 
denotes  grandson,  and,  in  a  wider  sense,  a  descendant  in  any  degree,  and  is  translated 
nepos  by  Adamnan  in  his  life  of  St.  Columbkille ;  so  that  O'Dubhda  signifies  nepos 
Doudai,  or  descendant  of  Dubhda,  or  Dowda,  and  the  O'  should  be  prefixed,  not  only 
to  the  name  of  the  chieftain  of  the  race,  but  also  to  that  of  each  individual  of  the 
family,  as  well  in  all  the  collateral  branches  as  in  the  direct  line.  The  exact  period  at 
which  this  Dubhda,  or  Dowda  lived,  cannot  now  be  satisfactorily  ascertained,  as  the 
Irish  annals  preserve  no  memorial  of  him,  but  we  have  two  periods  fixed  by  the  au- 
thentic annalists,  between  which  he  must  have  flourished,  namely,  that  of  his  grand- 
father Donncatha,  King  of  Connaught,  who  died  in  768,  and  that  of  his  own  grandson 
Aodh,  King  of  North  Connaught,  who  died  in  the  year  983,  and  by  striking  a  mean 
between  these  two  dates  we  shall  have  the  year  876,  which  may  therefore  be  consi- 
dered the  year  about  which  this  Dowda  died.  The  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac 
Firbises  do  not  give  us  the  name  of  his  wife,  and  the  sum  of  what  they  have  handed 
down  respecting  him  is,  that  he  had  one  son,  namely, 

13.  Ceallach  Mac  Dubhda,  of  whom  nothing  is  recorded,  except  that  he  was  the 
father  of 

14,  Aodh, 


35^ 

14-  Aodk,  ovHtigh  O'Dublida,  or  O'Dowda,  King  of  Lower  Connauglit,  who  died  in 
tlie  year  983,  according  to  the  Annals  of  Lecan,  as  quoted  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis.  This 
Aodh,  or  Hugh,  was  tlie  first  who  could  have  added  the  prefix  O'  to  his  surname,  as 
being  the  0',  nepos,  or  grandson  of  Dubhda,  for  his  father  would  have  been  called  Mac 
Dubhda.  He  seems  also  to  have  been  the  first  who  obtained  sway  over  the  descendants 
of  Caomhan,  his  grandfather's  eldest  brother  ;  for  the  Lecan  records  inform  us  that 
he  granted  "to  Aodh,  or  Hugh,  the  grandson  of  Caomhan,  the  district  extending  from 
Tuaim  da  bhodhar  to  Gleoir,  and  also  the  tract  of  land  in  Carra,  called  Tuath  Ruisen, 
which  till  then  had  been  in  the  possession  of  a  sept  of  the  Firbolgs,  besides  other 
tracts  in  the  principality  of  Hy-Fiachrach,  in  consideration  of  Aodh,  the  grandson  of 
Caomhan,  having  resigned  to  him  and  his  race  all  claims  to  the  chieftainship  of  the 
Hy-Fiachrach.  The  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac  Firbises  give  him  but  one  son, 
Maolruanaidh,  the  ancestor  of  all  the  branches  of  the  O'Dowd  family ;  bat  we  learn 
from  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  that  he  had  another  son,  Gebhennach,  who  died 
in  1005. 

15.  Maolruanaidh,  or  Midrony,  son  of  Aodh,  or  Hugh  0'' Dubhda According  to 

Duald  Mac  Firbis  this  Mulrony,  who  was  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach  Muirisce,  died  in  the 
year  1005,  and  the  Four  Masters  have  the  following  notice  of  his  death  under  the  same 
year: — "A.D.  1005.  Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Aodh  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Hy-Fiachrach 
Muirisce,  and  his  son  Maolseachlainn,  and  his  brother  Gebhennach  Mac  Aodha,  died." 

This  Maolruanaidh,  or  Mulrony,  had,  according  to  the  Mac  Firbises,  two  sons, 
namely,  i,  Maoileachlainn,  or  Maolseachlainn,  the  ancestor  of  the  greater  number  of  the 
succeeding  chieftains,  and,  2,  Domhnall,  or  Donnell,  the  ancestor  of  a  celebrated  sept 
of  the  O'Dowds,  called  the  Clann  Domhnaill,  or  Clandonnell  of  Lough  Conn,  of  whom 
were  many  distinguished  warriors,  chiefs  of  Tirawley,  and  among  others  Cosnamhach 
Mor,  anglice  Cosney  More,  who,  according  to  the  Mac  Firbises,  was  the  last  of  the  Irish 
race  who  was  called  the  fighter  of  an  hundred  men,  but  who  was  killed  in  his  own 
house  at  Inishcoe,  on  Lough  Conn,  by  O'Gloinin,  one  of  his  own  sub-chieftains,  in  1 162. 

16.  Maoilseachlainn,  i.  e.  Melaghlin,  or  Malachy  0'' Dubhda He  died  in  1005,  the 

same  year  in  which  his  father  and  uncle  also  died.  The  Mac  Firbises  mention  but 
one  of  his  sons,  namely,  NialL 

17.  Niall,  son  of  Maoilseachlainn  O'Dubhda. — He  had  three  sons  ;  i,  Niall,  ancestor 
of  the  Clann  Neill  O'Dowd,  who  made  strong  efforts  to  wrest  their  little  territory 
from  the  family  of  O'Caomhain,  but  without  success  ;  2,  Taithleach,  the  ancestor  of 
nearly  all  the  subsequent  chiefs,  and  3,  Aodh,  the  ancestor  of  several  septs,  but  whose 
pedigrees  are  not  carried  down. 

18.  Taithleach,  son  of  Niall  0' Dubhda — He  had  two  sons,  namely,  i,  Euaidhri  Mear, 

or 


35^ 

or  Eory  the  Swift  O'Dublida,  who  was  lord  of  the  country  extending  from  the  river 
Eobe  to  DrumclifF,  and  who  was  murdered  by  Domhnall,  or  Donnell  O'Quin,  chief  of 
Clann  Cuain,  whose  daughter  he  had  violated,  and  who  renounced  his  allegiance  to 
O'Dowd,  and  placed  himself  under  the  protection  of  Mac  Dermot,  chief  of  Moylurg. 
This  must  have  occurred  early  in  the  twelfth  century.  He  had,  2,  Aodh,  or  Hugh 
O'Dowd,  the  ancestor  of  the  subsequent  chiefs. 

19.  Aodh,  or  Hugh,  son  of  Taitldeach  QPDuhhda,  father  of 

20.  Muircheartach  G' Duhhda,  who  was  the  father  of 

21.  Aodh,  or  Hugh  G'Dubhda — He  had  three  sons  ;  i,  Taithleach,  ancestor  of  the 
subsequent  chiefs ;  2,  Brian  Dearg,  from  whom  the  Clann  Taithligh  Oig  [Clan- 
tahilly  Og]  O'DoAvd  are  descended ;  and,  3,  Muircheartach.  He  was  probably  the 
Aodh,  son  of  Muircheartach  O'Dubdha,  lord  of  Tireragh  and  Tirawley,  who  died  in 

22.  Taithleach,  or  Tahilly,  son  of  Aodh,  or  Hugh  0''Dubhda — He  seems  to  be  the 
Taithleach  O'Dubdha,  lord  of  Tirawley  and  Tireragh,  who  was  killed  by  his  own  two 
wicked  grandsons  in  the  year  1 192.     He  had  one  son. 

23.  Aodh,  or  Hugh,  son  of  Taithleach,  who  was  father  of  the  celebrated 

24.  Donnchadh  Mor,  orDonogh  More  G'Dubhda He  appears  first  in  the  Irish  annals 

at  the  year  1 207,  under  which  he  is  called  by  the  Four  Masters  lord  of  Tirawley  and 
Tireragh.  In  this  year  he  joined  Diarmaid,  son  ofMaghnus  O' Conor,  Cormac  Mac 
Dermot,  and  O'Hara,  lord  of  Leyny,  to  oppose  Cathal  Carrach  O' Conor,  who  had  in- 
vaded and  plundered  Mac  Dermott's  country.  A  battle  ensued  between  them,  in 
which  Cathal  Carrach  was  defeated,  taken  prisoner,  and  deprived  of  his  eyes,  in  order 
that  by  being  maimed,  he  might  have  no  further  pretensions  to  chieftainship. 

In  the  year  1213  he  hired  a  fleet  of  fifty-six  ships  at  the  Hebrides,  which  he  joined 
with  his  own,  and  sailed  into  the  bay  of  Cuan  Modh,  now  Clew  Bay,  where  he  landed 
on  Inis  Raithin,  and  compelled  Cathal  Croibhdhearg,  or  Charles  the  Eedhanded 
O'Conor,  King  of  Connaiight,  to  give  up  to  him  his  territory,  extending  from  the  river 
Eobe  to  Drumcliff",  free  of  tribute. 

Having  now  carried  the  pedigree  of  this  family  down  to  a  period  at  which  their 
history  becomes  very  certain,  and  pregnant  with  facts,  the  Editor  will  next  glance  back 
at  the  line  of  descent,  to  show  that  the  genealogical  books  of  the  Mac  Firbises  have  not 
preserved  to  us  all  the  branches  that  sprang  from  the  main  trunk  of  the  genealogical 
tree  of  this  great  race.  This  wiU  be  sufficiently  obvious  from  the  following  passages 
in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  : 

"  A.  D.  899.  Joseph  of  Loch  Con,  abbot  of  Clonmacnoise,  died.  He  was  of  the 
sept  of  the  northern  Hy-Fiachrach." 

'^  A.  D. 


35^ 

"  A.  D.  905.  Aodli,  son  of  Maolpatraig,  lord  of  Hy-Fiacliracli,  was  slain  by  Niall, 
son  of  Aodh. 

"  A.  D.  1059.  Aedhuar  O'Dublida,  lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  was  slain  by  Ms  own 
tribe." 

"  A.  D.  1096.  Muircheartacli  O'Dublida,  surnamed  an  Cullacli,  i.  e.  t//e  Boar,  lord 
of  Hy-Amlialgaidli,  was  slain  by  his  own  tribe." 

"A.  D.  1 126.  Domhnall  Fionn  O'Dublida,  lord  of  Hy-Ambalgaidli,  was  drowned 
after  having  taken  a  prey  in  Tirconnell." 

"A.  D.  1 128.  The  son  of  Aodh  O'Dublida,  lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  was  slain  at 
Ardee  in  a  battle  fought  between  the  cavalries  of  Conchobhar,  the  son  of  Mac  Lough- 
lin,  prince  of  Aileach,  and  of  Tiernan  O'Rourke,  chief  of  Breifuy." 

"  A.  D.  1 132.  Conchobhar,  son  of  Maoileachlainn  O'Dubhda,  was  slain  by  his  kins- 
man, i.  6.  by  the  son  of  Niall  O'Dubhda." 

"  A.D.  1 135.  O'Maille  was  slain  by  the  son  of  Domhnall  O'Dubhda,  in  the  Donih- 
liag,  or  stone-church  of  Nuachongbhail." — Chron.  Scot. 

"A.D.  1 1 35.  Amhlaoibh,  son  of  Domhnall  Fionn  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Hy-Amhal- 
gaidh, was  slain  by  the  northern  Hy-Fiachrach." 

"  A.  D.  1 136.  The  son  of  Domhnall  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  was  slain." 
In  1 139  Mathghamhain,  or  Mahon  O'Dubhda,  chief  of  the  race  of  Flaithbheartach, 
is  mentioned,  but  he  was  of  the  O'Dubhdas  or  Duddies  of  Ulster.  See  p.  112,  Note  ^. 
"A.D.  1 143.  Aodh,  son  of  Muircheartach  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  the  northern  Hy- 
Fiachrach  and  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  died."  This  Aodh  may  have  been  Aodh,  No.  21,  in 
the  above  pedigree,  but  this  is  far  from  certain,  as  the  number  of  generations  from 
him  to  Maoileachlainn,  No.  16,  who  died  in  1005,  would  be  too  many. 

"A.  D.  1 153.  Brian  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  the  northern  Hy-Fiachrach,  was  slain  in 
the  battle  of  Craebh  tinne." 

"A.  D.  1 154.  A  fleet  was  sent  out  by  King  Toirdhealbhach,  or  Turlogh  O'Conor, 
to  coast  Ireland  towards  the  north,  consisting  of  the  fleets  of  Dun  Gaillnihe  [Galway 
fort],  Connmhaicne  mara  [now  Connamara],  Hy-Amhalgaidh,  and  Hy-Fiachrach,  over 
all  which  Cosnamhach  O'Dubhda  was  placed  as  chief  commander.  These  plundered 
Tirconnell  and  Inishowen.  The  Cinel  Eoghain,  with  their  chief  INIuircheartach,  son 
of  Niall,  observing  their  designs,  went  over  the  sea  to  hire  the  fleets  of  the  Gall-Gade- 
lians  of  Arann,  Can  tire,  the  Isle  of  Mann,  and  of  other  parts  of  Scotland,  over  all  which 
Mac  Scellig  was  chosen  as  commander.  When  they  came  near  Inishowen  the  Conna- 
cian  fleet  met  them,  and  a  fierce  and  obstinate  sea  fight  ensued  between  them  which 
continued  from  morning  till  evening,  during  which  many  of  the  Connacians  Avere  slain 
by  the  strangers,  and  among  the  rest  their  chief  commander  Cosnamhach  O'Dubhda. 

The 


353 

The  strangers  were  however  defeated  and  slaughtered,  and  deprived  of  their  ships, 
and  Mac  Scellig,  their  leader,  lost  his  teeth." 

"  A.  D.  1 1 62.  Cosnamhach  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Tirawley,  was  slain  by  his  own  tribe." 
This  was  the  celebrated  Cosnamhach  (son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Cathbharr,  son  of  Domhnall, 
son  of  Maolruanaidh),  who  was  killed  by  O'Gloinin  at  Inishcoe.  He  had  a  son  Cos- 
namhach, who  was  slain  in  1 1 8 1 . 

"  A.  D.  1 182.  Murchadh,  the  son  of  Taithleach  O'Dubhda,  was  slain  by  Maolseach- 
lainn  O'Mulrony." 

By  a  comparison  of  these  entries  in  the  Annals  with  the  line  of  the  pedigree  of  the 
O'Dowds  as  preserved  by  the  Mac  Firbises,  and  as  fully  displayed  in  the  large  Gene- 
alogical Table,  it  will  be  seen  that  there  were  several  distinguished  members  of  the 
family  Avhose  names  have  not  been  entered  in  the  pedigree.  The  truth  evidently  is, 
that  the  Mac  Firbises  have  preserved  no  more  than  the  direct  line  of  this  pedigree, 
from  the  progenitor  Dubhda,  or  Dowda,  down  to  Donnchadh  Mor,  No.  24,  excepting 
the  names  of  a  few  of  the  senior  or  junior  branches,  such  as  they  knew  had  become 
the  founders  of  distinct  septs.  To  return  to  the  pedigree,  Donnchadh  Mor,  No.  24, 
supra,  had  four  sons,  namely,  Brian  Dearg  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Tireragh,  Tirawley,  and 
Erris,  who,  according  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  was  killed  on  the  road  while 
on  his  pilgrimage  to  the  abbey  of  Boyle  ;  2,  Maolruanaidh,  the  ancestor  of  the  subse- 
quent chiefs  ;  3,  Muircheartach,  or  Murtogh,  ancestor  of  the  Clann  Conchobhair, 
who,  on  the  death  of  his  brother,  Brian  Dearg,  in  1 242,  became  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach, 
and  Was,  during  his  short  career,  a  powerful  chieftain,  and  at  constant  strife  with  the 
O'Conors.  In  the  year  1246  he  slew  Maelseachlainn,  the  son  of  Conchobhar  Ruadh, 
who  was  son  of  Muircheartach  Muimhneach,  or  Murtogh,  the  Momonian  O'Conor,  for 
which  he  was  banished  over  sea;  but  in  the  year  following,  1247,  he  returned,  accom- 
panied by  his  friend  O'Boyle,  with  a  fleet,  and  made  a  descent  upon  the  coast  of  Car- 
bury,  to  be  revenged  on  the  O'Conors  by  plundering  that  territory,  but  on  this 
occasion  the  crew  of  one  of  his  ships,  who  were  under  the  command  of  Maghnus 
O'Boyle,  were  drowned  at  the  island  of  Inis  tuathrass,  on  the  coast  of  Carbury.  But 
his  career  of  glory  was  short;  he  was  slain  in  the  year  1248  by  the  son  of  Felim 
O'Conor,  as  thus  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  :  —  "A.  D.  1248.  Muir- 
cheartach O'Dubhda,  surnamed  the  Aithchleireach,  lord  of  that  tract  of  country  ex- 
tending from  Cill  Dairbhile  [now  Termon  Dervilla],  in  Erris,  to  the  strand  [i.  e.  the 
strand  of  Traigh  Eothuile],  was  slain  by  the  son  of  Felim  O'Conor."  The  fourth  son 
of  Donnchadh  Mor  was  Taithleach,  Avho  was  the  father  of  Conchobhar,  or  Conor 
Conallach  O'Dubhda,  who  became  chief  of  Tireragh  and  was  drowned  in  the  Shannon  in 
the  year  1291,  but  his  race  seems  to  have  become  extinct  in  a  few  generations.  Donn- 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12.  2  Z  chadh 


354 

cliadli  Mor  had  a  daughter  Mor,  wlio  became  the  wife  of  O'Boyle,  the  chief  of  the 
opposite  coast,  and  who  died  in  the  year  1 249. 

One  of  the  sons  of  this  Donnchadh  Mor  O'Dubhda  is  charged  with  a  very  atrocious 
crime  by  the  Irish  annalists,  who  fortunately  do  not  afford  us  the  clue  to  discover 
which  of  the  sons  to  brand  with  it.  The  Four  Masters  speak  of  it  as  follows  in  their 
Annals: — "  A.  D.  1244.  Maoliosa  Mac  an  Easpuig  O'Maoilfoghmhair  [Malisa  Mac- 
anespie  O'Mulfover],  parson  of  Tireragh  and  Tirawley,  who,  from  his  wisdom,  was 
intended  for  the  episcopal  dignity,  was  killed  by  the  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Dubhda,  a 
deed  strange  to  his  family,  for  none  of  the  O'Dubhdas  had  ever  before  that  time 
killed  an  ecclesiastic." 

25.  Maolruanaidh,  or  Mulrony,  son  of  Donnchadh  Mor  O'Dubhda. — Though  this 
Mulroney  was  the  progenitor  of  the  subsequent  chiefs  he  does  not  appear  to  have  ever 
been  chief  himself,  for,  in  the  record  of  his  death  given  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters  at  the  year  1238,  he  is  styled  Maolruanaidh,  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Dubhda  : — 
"  A.D.  1238.  Maolruanaidli,  the  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Dubhda,  was  slain  by  Maoilseach- 
lainn,  son  of  Conchobhar  Euadh,  who  was  the  son  of  Muircheartach  Muimhneach 
O'Conor,  assisted  by  the  son  of  Tighearnan,  who  was  the  son  of  Cathal  Mac  Arnain 
O'Conor." 

According  to  a  modern  account  of  the  descendants  of  this  Mulrony  O'Dubhda, 
inserted  in  a  modern  hand  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  and  which  shall  be  given  in  these 
Addenda,  he  had  three  sons,  viz.,  Taithleach,  Muaidhe,  Donnchadh  Mor,  ancestor  of 
the  Clann  Donogh  O'Dubhda,  formerly  seated  in  the  district  of  Coolcarney,  and  Cos- 
namhach,  archUshop  of  Tuam  ;  but  that  this  genealogy  is  spurious  is  obvious  from 
the  fact  that  it  totally  differs  from  the  original  text  of  the  Book  of  Lecan,  as  well  as 
from  the  account  given  by  Duald  Mac  Firbis  ;  and  that  it  appears  from  the  Irish  an- 
nals that  Donnchadh  Mor  O'Dubhda,  the  ancestor  of  the  Clann  Donogh,  could  not  have 
been  the  son  of  Mulrony  who  was  slain  in  1238,  for  Donnchadh  died  Tanist  of  Hy- 
Fiachrach  in  the  year  1337,  that  is,  ninety-nine  years  after  the  death  of  his  supposed 
father.  But  the  truth  clearly  is,  that  Donnchadh  Mor  was,  as  the  original  text  of  the 
Book  of  Lecan  makes  him,  the  grandson  of  Maolruanaidh,  or  Mulroney,  and  the  son, 
not  the  brother,  of  Taithleach  Muaidhe,  who  was  slain  in  1282.  According  to  the 
Book  of  Lecan  and  Duald  Mac  Firbis  this  Maolruanaidh,  or  Mulroney,  had  two  sons, 
namely,  Taithleach  Muaidhe,  or  Tahilly  of  the  Moy,  of  whom  presently,  and  Cos- 
namhach,  archdeacon  [not  archbishop]  of  Tuam,  and  a  daughter  Dervorgilla,  who  was 
the  mother  of  Tomalltach  O'Conor,  archbishop  of  Tuam,  and  died  in  1265. 

26.  Taithleach  Muaidhe,  or  Tahilly  of  the  Moy,  son  of  Mulrony  O'Dubhda.  —  This 
warlike  chieftain,  in  order  to  be  revenged  of  William  Mor  Barrett,  who  had  wrested 

from 


355 

from  him  the  entire  of  the  territory  of  Tirawley,  joined  Adam  Cusack, — who  was  then 
making  strong  efforts  to  conquer  this  part  of  Connaught, — against  the  Barretts,  and  a 
fierce  battle  was  fought  between  them  at  Moyne,  near  KHlala  (where  a  great  monas- 
tery was  a  long  time  after  erected).  In  this  battle,  wherein  O'Dubhda  was  assisted 
by  his  neighbour  O'Boyle,  William  Mor  Barrett  was  defeated,  mortally  wounded,  and 
taken  prisoner.  But  Adam  Cusack,  notwithstanding  the  assistance  received  from 
O'Dubhda  in  this  battle,  turned  his  arms  against  him  the  year  following,  and  slew  him 
at  a  place  called,  from  that  circumstance,  Bel  at/ta  Tailtigh,  i.  e.  the  mouth  of  Tahilly's 
ford,  situated  near  the  margin  of  Traigh  Eothuile,  on  the  lands  of  Coillte  Luighne, 
near  Ballysadare.  These  facts  are  stated  by  the  Four  Masters  in  their  Annals,  and 
are  also  given  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  as  we  learn  from  the  following  quaint 
translation  of  the  two  passages  by  Connell  Mageoghegan  : 

"  A.  D.  1 28 1.  There  was  a  feild  fought  between  the  Barretts  of  the  one  side  and 
the  Cusackes  of  the  other  side,  where  the  Barretts  were  vanquished  ;  "William  Barrett 
and  Adam  Fflemyng,  with  many  others,  were  slain.  There  were  two  Irishmen  of 
Cusack's  side  that  surpassed  the  companys  of  both  sides  for  prowes,  manhood,  dex- 
teritie  of  handling  of  arms,  hardiness,  and  all  other  parts  of  activity,  named  Taih- 
leagh  O'Dowdie  and  Taihleagh  O'Boyle." 

"A.  D.  1282.  Taihleagh  mac  Moyleronie  O'Dowdie  (before  spoken  of),  prince  of  the 
contrey  of  Offiaghrach  Moye,  one  of  great  prowes  and  bounty,  and  of  great  and  con- 
tinuall  dissention  with  the  English,  and  all  foreigners,  in  defence  of  his  contry,  was 
killed  by  Adam  Cusack  at  Beerhaven." 

Here  Mageoghegan  renders  Traigh  Eothuile  by  Beerhaven,  an  error  equalled  only 
by  that  of  Haliday,  who,  in  his  translation  of  the  first  part  of  Keating's  History  of 
Ireland,  renders  it  Youghal,  and  evidently  takes  it  to  be  the  strand  of  Youghal,  in  the 
south-east  of  the  county  of  Cork, 

This  Adam  Cusack  was  defeated  by  Maghnus  O' Conor  at  Ballysadare  in  the  year 
1285,  on  which  occasion  Collin  Cusack,  his  brother,  and  many  others,  were  slain.  He 
died  in  the  year  1287,  after  which  we  hear  of  no  more  triumphs  of  the  Cusacks  in 
Connaught,  and  the  Barretts  appear  to  have  recovered  all  their  possessions  in  Tirawley, 
of  which  he  seems  for  a  time  to  have  deprived  them. 

Taithleach  Muaidhe  O'Dubhda  had  three  sons,  viz.,  Sen  Bhrian,  of  whom  presently, 
Donnchadh  Mor,  ancestor  of  the  Clann  Dbnogh  O'Dubhda,  who  died  in  1337,  and 
Maodeachlainn  Carrach,  who  was  slain  in  1 3 1 6.  There  were  many  distinguished  men 
among  this  sept  of  the  family,  as  William,  Bishop  of  Killala,  who  died  in  1350;  Muir- 
cheartach  Cleireach,  chief  of  the  Clann  Donogh,  who  died  in  1402,  but  they  disap- 
pear from  history  about  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century. 

2  Z  2  27.  Sen 


35^ 

27-  Sen  Bhrian,  or  old  Brian,  the  son  of  Taithleach  Muaidhe  0'^ Dubkda — DualdMac 
Firbis  states  in  his  short  annals  of  this  family,  that  this  Brian  was  eighty-four  years  chief 
of  his  name  ;  but  we  must  conclude  from  the  authentic  Irish  annals  that  he  could  not 
have  reigned  so  long,  and  we  may  well  believe  that  fifty-four  years,  as  given  in  a  more 
modern  hand  in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  was  the  true  period.  The  first  notice  of  this 
chieftahi  to  be  found  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  is  at  the  year  1278,  in  which 
he  and  Art  na  g-Capall  [of  the  horses]  O'Hara,  lord  of  Leyny,  gave  battle  to  the  Ber- 
niinghams,  and  defeated  them,  killing  the  two  sons  of  Meyler  Mor,  Conor  Eoe  Ber- 
mingham  and  others.  This  was  in  the  life-time  of  his  father,  and  still  he  does  not 
appear  to  have  succeeded  his  father,  for  the  Annals  record  the  death,  by  drowning,  of 
Conchobhar,  or  Conor  Conallach  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Tir  Fiachrach,  in  the  year  1291. 
In  the  year  1308,  as  we  learn  from  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise,  he  joined  the  English 
of  Levny  and  Tireragh  to  plunder  the  0' Conors  of  Carbury.  But  in  13 16  he  joined 
Felim  O'Conor  and  the  Irish  in  the  memorable  battle  of  Athenry,  where  the  English 
had  mustered  the  best  appointed  and  most  formidable  army  that  they  had  ever  before 
sent  against  the  native  Irish.  In  this  battle,  va.  which  the  English  were  well  armed, 
and  drawn  up  in  regular  military  array,  and  the  Irish  Avithout  armour*,  eleven  thou- 
sand of  the  Irish  were  slain,  and  tradition  says  that  the  O'Conors  were  so  completely 
defeated  that  throughout  all  Connaught  not  one  man  of  the  name,  Felim's  brother 
excepted,  could  be  found  who  was  able  to  bear  arms. 

According  to  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  Brian  O'Dubhda,  lord  of  Tireragh, 
commanded  his  people  in  this  battle,  and  lost  therein  his  .brother  Maoileachlainn  Car- 
rach  and  two  of  the  principal  men  of  his  name.  The  following  account  of  this  battle 
is  given  in  the  Annals  of  Clonmacnoise  as  translated,  in  the  year  1627,  by  Connell 
Mageoghegan  : 

"  A.  D.  1 3 1 6.  Felym  O'Connor  [after  having  slain  Rory  O'Connor,  who  had  usurped 
the  throne  of  Connaught]  took  all  the  preys  and  spoyles  of  all  that  belonged  to  Eowry 
O'Connor,  or  that  partaked  with  him  before,  and  took  himself  the  government  and 
name  of  King  of  Connought,  as  before  he  had,  which  extends  from  Easroe,  in  Ulster, 
to  Eaghtge  ;  took  hostages,  for  the  preservation  of  allegeance,  of  the  Breniemen,  and 
constituted  Ualargge  O'Eoirke  as  their  king  ;  alsoe  he   took   the   hostages   of  the 

O'Kellys, 

a  Polydore  Virgil  says  that  at  the   battle   of  tra  Hiberni  etsi  praelium  magnis  animis  adebant, 

Newark,   in  the  reign   of  Henry  VII.  the  Irish  attamen  cum  patrio  more  nullis  armis   corpora 

fought  with  astonishing  bravery,  but  that  having  tecta  haberent,  ante  omnes  passim  cadebant,  eo- 

their  bodies  uncovered,  according  to  the  custom  rumque  caedes  aliis  multo  maxime  formidini  erat." 

of  their  country,  they  were  cut  to  pieces.   "  Con-  Hist.  Aug,  p.  729. 


357 

O'Kellys,  O'Maddens,  O'Dermodaes,  O'Haras,  O'Dowdies ;  and  after  setting  himself  [up] 
lie  prepared  an  army  with  whom  he  went  to  banish  the  English  [out]  of  Connaught ; 
immediately  burnt  the  towne  of  Athleathan,  killed  Stephen  D'Exeter  therein,  Miles 
Cogan,  William  Prendergrass,  and  John  Stanton,  Knights,  and  also  William  Lawless, 
with  a  great  slaughter  of  their  people.  He  burnt  all  the  contrey  from  the  place  called 
Castle  Corran  to  Koba,  took  all  their  preys  and  spoyles  ;  returned  to  his  house  with  a 
ritch  booty  of  his  enemies,  and  a  fortunate  success  in  his  affairs. 

"  King  Felym  having  thus  returned  to  his  house  made  no  long  stay,  but  went  to 
MUick  to  meet  with  those  of  Munster  and  Leathmoye,  where  he  burnt  and  fell  down 
the  castle  at  first.  Mortagh  O'Bryen,  prince  of  Thomond,  came  to  his  house,  and  all 
the  families  of  the  O'Briens  face  to  face,  with  whom  he  returned  to  Roscomon  to  fall 
the  Castle  thereof  to  the  Earth. 

"Felym  O'Conor  hearing  of  the  returne  of  William  Burke  to  Connought  from 
Scotland,  he  proclaimed  that  all  his  people  from  all  parts  where  they  were,  with  such 
as  wou'd  joyn  with  them,  wou'd  gather  together  to  banish  William  Burke  from  out 
of  Connought,  at  whose  command  all  the  Irishrie  of  Connought  from  Easroe  to  Eghtge 
were  obedient  and  came  to  that  place  of  meeting.  Donnogh  O'Bryen,  prince  of  Tho- 
mond, O'Melaughlyn,  king  of  Meath,  O'Royrck  of  the  Breffine,  O'Ferall,  chieftain  of 
the  Anahe,  called  the  Convackne,  Teig  O'Kelly,  king  of  Imaine,  with  many  others  of 
the  nobilitie  of  Ireland,  came  to  this  assembly,  and  marched  towards  Athenrie  to  meet 
with  William  Burke,  the  Lord  Bremyngham  and  others,  the  English  of  the  province 
of  Connought,  where  they  met  and  gave  battle  in  a  place  neer  the  said  towne,  the 
Irishmen  in  which  battle  were  discomfitted  and  quite  overthrowen. 

"  Felym  O'Connor,  King  of  Connaught,  was  therein  killed,  also  Teig  O'Kelly,  King 
of  Imaine,  and  eight  and  twenty  of  the  chiefest  of  that  family.  Magnus  mac  Dermott 
O'Connor,  Tanist  of  all  Connaught,  Art  O'Hara,  prince  of  Lwyne  ;  Melaghlyn  Car- 
ragh  O'Dowdie  ;  Connor  Oge  O'Dowdie  ;  Mortagh  mac  Connor  O'Dowdie  ;  Dermott 
Mac  Dermott,  Tanist  of  Moylorge  ;  Mortagh  mac  Taithleagh  Mac  Dermoda  ;  Mortagh 
mac  Dermoda  O'Fferall ;  Mullronie  Oge  Mac  Magnosa ;  John  mac  Morrogh  O'Mad- 
den  ;  Donnell  O'Boylle  ;  Donnogh  O'Molloye  of  Fearkeal,  with  his  people  ;  the  son  of 
Murrogh  Mac  Mahon  with  a  hundred  of  his  people  ;  Neal  Ffox,  prince  of  Teaffie-men, 
with  his  people ;  Ferrall  mac  John  Gallda  O'Ferall ;  William  mac  Hugh  Oge 
O'Feralle ;  Thomas  Mac  Awley  O'Fferall ;  Tomaltagh,  Morragh,  Connor,  Mortagh, 
and  Melaughlyn  Mac  Donnough  ;  John  Mackeigan,  O'Connor's  chief  Judge  ;  Connor 
and  Gillernew,  the  sons  of  Dalredocker  O'Dovelen,  the  man  called  Fear  imchar  na 
h-onchon  [i.  e.  O'Connor's  standard  bearer],  Thomas  O'Connolan  of  the  king's  guard  ; 
all  which  persons,  with  many  others  of  Munster,  Meath,  and  Connaught  (which  were 

tedious 


358 

tedious  to  recite)  were  slain  in  that  battle,  as  a  certain  Irish  poet  pitifully  in  an  Irish 
verse  said : 

TTlop  mac  pij;  nac  abpaim  amm 

t)o  mapbao  ip  an  mop-rhaiom, 

t)o  pluaj  TTliDe  ip  niurhan, 

Cpuaj  lem  cpfoi  m  carujao''. 

"  This  battle  was  given  [fought]  upon  the  day  of  St.  Lawrence  the  Martyre. 
Felym  then  being  but  of  the  age  of  twenty- three  years,  in  the  fifth  year  of  whose  reign 
Rowrye  mac  Cahall  Eoe  O'Connor  (before  mentioned)  deposed  him  for  one  half  year, 
who  being  killed,  as  before  is  described,  Felym  succeeded  for  another  half  year,  untill 
he  was  slain  at  Athenrie  aforesaid. 

"  Rowry,  surnamed  Eowry  na  ffidh,  mac  Donnogh,  mac  Owen,  mac  Eowrie,  suc- 
ceeded next  as  King  of  Connaught." 

Sir  Eichard  Cox  states  (Hist,  of  Ireland,  p.  97)  that  after  this  battle  the  Berming- 
hams  took  a  prey  of  two  thousand  cows  from  the  O'Conors,  and  that  eight  thousand 
of  the  Irish  were  slain  ;  and  that  the  King  of  England,  on  receiving  the  news  of  this 
victory,  granted  to  Sir  Eichard  De  Bermingham  the  title  of  Baron  of  Athenree,  which 
his  descendants  have  enjoyed  ever  since. 

This  Brian  O'Dubhda  died,  according  to  the  Irish  annals,  in  the  year  1354,  when  he 
must  have  been  at  least  a  century  old,  for  he  was  in  active  service  in  the  field  as  early 
as  1278.  Duald  Mac  Firbis  says  that  he  recovered  a  great  portion  of  the  original  ter- 
ritory, particularly  Tireragh,  from  the  English,  and  divided  it  among  his  own  sons, 
grandsons,  and  great  grandsons.  He  married  Una,  the  daughter  of  Felim,  who  was 
the  son  of  Cathal  Croibhdhearg  O'Conor,  King  of  Connaught,  and  had  by  her  eight 
sons,  viz.,  Domhnall  Cleireach,  his  successor,  of  whom  presently  ;  2,  Maolruanaidh,  or 
Mulroney,  who  died  in  1362  ;  3,  Maghnus  Cleireach,  who  died  in  1359  ;  4,  Diarmaid; 
5,  Aodh,  the  father  of  Brian  Cam,  and  Edmond,  chiefs  of  Tireragh  ;  6,  Cosnamhach  ; 
7,  Niall ;  8,  Brian  Og,  who  was  slain  by  the  Barretts  in  1373. 

28.  Domhnall  Cleireach,  or  Donnell  the  Cleric,  son  of  Old  Brian  O'Dubhda He  suc- 
ceeded his  father  in  1354,  and  died  in  1380.  In  his  time  the  English  made  strong 
efi"orts  to  get  possession  of  his  territory  of  Tireragh,  which  was  all  that  remained  with 
the  O'Dowds  at  this  period,  though  they  stiU  laid  claim  to  Tirawley  ;  but  in  the  year 

''  Mageoghegan  does  not  translate  these  lines,  I  do  not  mention, 

■which  is  contrary  to  his  usual  mode  :  they  sound  Were  slain  in  the  great  conflict, 

thus  in  English  ;  Of  the  host  of  Meath  and  Munster  ; 

A  great  number  of  the  sons  of  kings,  whose  names  Pity  to  my  heart  is  the  battling. 


359 

1 37 1  he  drove  the  English  out  of  his  territory  and  took  possession  of  the  castles  of 
Ardnarea  and  Castleconor,  in  which  they  had  strengthened  themselves,  and  then  di- 
vided the  lands  among  his  brothers  and  followers.  The  Four  Masters  have  the  following 
notice  of  his  death :_"  A.  D.  1380.  Domhnall,  the  son  of  Brian  O'Dubhda,  lord  of 
Tireragh  and  Tirawley,  defender  of  his  principality  against  his  English  and  Irish 
enemies,  died  at  his  own  mansion  seat  [Dun  NeiU]  on  the  third  of  May,  and  his  son 
Ruaidliri  assumed  his  place." 

According  to  a  list  of  the  chiefs  of  the  O'Dubhda  family,  inserted  in  a  modern  hand 
in  the  Book  of  Lecan,  he  was  chief  for  forty-nine  years  and  a  half,  but,  accordino-  to 
Duald  Mac  Firbis,  he  reigned  but  thirty-six  years,  and  if  we  date  the  commencement 
of  his  reign  in  1354,  when  his  father  died,  we  cannot  allow  him  a  longer  period  than 
twenty-six  years,  but  it  is  highly  probable  that  his  father  had  resigned  the  chieftain- 
ship to  him  several  years  before  his  death. 

Domhnall  Cleireach  O'Dubhda  married  the  daughter  of  O'Malley,  chief  of  Umhall, 
and  had  by  her  ten  sons,  viz.,  i,  Euaidhri,  his  successor,  of  whom  presently;  2,  Magh- 
nus,  who,  in  1461,  according  to  Ware,  slew  Connor  O'Connell,  Bishop  of  Killala ; 
3,  MaoHeachlainn  ;  4,  Tadhg  Riabhach,  or  Teige  Eeagh,  who  succeeded  as  chief  of 
Tireragh  in  141 7,  and  died  in  1432.  It  was  in  the  time  of  this  Teige  Eeagh  that  the 
abbey  of  Ardnarea,  the  ruins  of  which  still  remain  in  good  preservation,  was  founded 
for  monks  of  the  order  of  St.  Augustin,  A.  D.  i427._See  De  Burgo  Hibernia  Domi- 
nicana  and  Archdall's  Monasticon.  It  was  in  his  time  also  the  Book  of  Lecan  was 
compiled  by  Giolla  losa  Mor  Mac  Firbis,  who,  in  141 7,  addressed  to  him  the  topo- 
graphical poem,  published  in  this  volume  :  though  it  would  appear  from  a  memoran- 
dum at  the  bottom  of  folio  40,  that  the  work  had  been  commenced  in  the  time  of  his 
brother  Euaidhri,  who  died  in  that  year.  This  Teige  Eeagh  was  the  ancestor  of  several 
chiefs  of  Tireragh,  and  of  the  famous  famUy  of  the  Dowds  of  Dublin,  but  the  Editor 
being  of  opinion  that  this  family  is  now  extinct,  deems  it  unnecessary  to  give  their 
pedigree  in  this  place,  as  it  has  been  already  given,  though  without  dates,  in  the  text 
of  Duald  Mac  Firbis.  But  should  the  Dowds  of  Dublin  be  extant  they  will  see  the 
line  of  their  descent,  traced  for  thirty-four  generations,  in  the  large  Genealogical 
Table  hereunto  prefixed.  Domhnall  Cleireach  had,  5,  John  ;  6,  Domhnall  Og ;  7, 
Donnchadh  ;  8,  Diarmaid,  who  died  in  1439  ;  9,  Aodh  ;  and,  10,  Eoghan,  who  ^vas 
living  in  1420. 

29.  Euaidhri,  Bory,  or  Roger,  son  of  Domhnall  Cleireach  OP Duhhda He  succeeded 

his  father  in  the  year  1380,  and  died  in  the  year  141 7,  under  which  the  Four  Masters 
have  the  following  notice  of  his  death  :_"  A.  D.  141 7.  O'Dubhda  (Euaidhri,  son  of 
Domhnall,  who  was  son  of  Brian,  son  of  Taithleach),  fountain  of  the  prosperity  and 

wealth 


360 

wealth  of  Tireragli,  died  at  his  own  mansion  seat  [Dun  Neill]  after  the  festival  of  St. 
Bridget,  and  his  brother  Tadhg  Riabhach  assumed  his  place." 

.This  Euaidhri  married  the  daughter  of  Mac  Costello,  and  had  by  her,  i,  Maol- 
ruanaidh,  his  successor,  of  whom  presently ;  2,  Conchobhar,  or  Conor  ;  3,  Maghnus 
Cleireach  ;  4,  Muircheartach  ;  5,  Eoghan  Caoch  ;  6,  William,  who  died  in  1438. 

30.  Maolruanaidk,  orMulrony^  son  ofRiiaidhri  O'Duhhda — He  was  elected  chief  of 
his  name  in  1432,  according  to  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  and  died  at  Liathmhuine,  now  Lea- 
fony,  in  1447.  He  married  the  daughter  of  MacWattin  Barrett,  and  had,  1,  Diarmaid; 
2,  Domhnall  Ballach,  who  was  chief  of  the  name  for  one  year,  and  who  was  the  father 
of  William,  chief  of  his  name,  who  died  in  1496  ;  3,  Maoileachlainn  ;  4,  Muircheartach 
Caoch. 

31.  Diarmaid,  son  of  Maolruanaidk  G'Dubhda. — He  never  attained  to  the  chieftain- 
ship, though  he  was  the  senior  of  the  race,  and  the  ancestor  of  almost  all  the  subse- 
quent heads  of  the  family.  The  name  of  his  wife  is  not  given,  but  it  is  stated  that  he 
had  two  sons,  namely,  i,  Conchobhar,  or  Conor  O'Dubhda,  of  whom  presently;  2,  Brian. 

32.  Conchobhar,  or  Conor,  son  of  Diarmaid  0'' Duhhda — He  succeeded  Felim,  the  son 
of  Tadhg  Buidhe,  or  Teige  Boy  O'Dubhda,  in  the  year  1508,  and  died  in  the  abbey  of 
Moyne  about  the  year  1538,  after  having  been  thirty  years  chief  of  his  name.  In  the 
year  1527  he  took  Mac  Donogh  prisoner.  In  1532  his  sons  took  the  castle  of  Ardnarea 
from  the  sons  of  John  Burke,  in  consequence  of  which  great  dissensions  arose  between 
them  and  the  descendants  of  Eichard  Burke,  and  many  depredations  and  slaughters 
were  committed  on  both  sides,  and  in  the  next  year  the  Burkes  got  possession  of  Ard- 
narea, since  which  the  O'Dubhdas,  or  O'Dowds,  never  recovered  it.  He  married  Mar- 
garet, daughter  of  Thomas  Roe  Burke,  and  had  by  her,  i,  Eoghan,  his  successor,  of 
whom  presently  ;  2,  Fearadhach  ;  3,  Euaidhri ;  4,  Cormac,  a  friar  ;  5,  Cathal  Dubh, 
who  became  chief  of  his  name,  and  consented  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Lower  Mac  William 
Burke  ;  6,  Dathi ;  7,  John  Glas  ;  and,  8,  Brian. 

33.  Eoghan,  or  Owen,  son  of  Conchobhar  C  Duhhda. — He  succeeded  his  father  about 
the  year  1538,  and  was  chief  of  his  name  for  seven  years.  He  married  Sabia  (the 
daughter  of  Walter,  son  of  Eichard)  Burke,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by  O'Donnell  in 
1536.  He  was  himself  taken  prisoner  by  Mac  William  of  Clanrickard  in  1542,  as  we 
are  informed  by  the  Four  Masters,  but  we  know  no  more  of  his  history,  except  that 
he  and  his  wife  were  interred  in  the  same  tomb  in  the  abbey  of  Moyne.  He  had  four 
sons,  viz.,  I,  Tadhg  Riabhach,  or  Teige  Eeagh,  his  successor;  2,  Edmond  ;  3,  Ceal- 
lach  ;  and,  4,  Conchobhar,  or  Conor. 

34.  Tadhg,  or  Teige  Beagh,  son  of  Eoghan  CDubhda — He  seems  to  have  succeeded 
his  father  about  the  year  1545,  and  we  learn  from  the  Four  Masters  that  he  died  in 

the 


36i 

the  year  1580.  "A.D.  1580.  Tadlig  Riabliach,  son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  Conch obhar 
O'Dowd,  died."  The  name  of  his  wife  is  not  given  by  Mac  Firbis,  who  informs  us  that 
he  had  seven  sons  :  i,  Dathi,  of  whom  presently  ;  2,  Tadhg  Buidhe,  or  Teige  Boy,  who 
■was  made  O'Dubhda  by  O'Donnell  in  1595  ;  3,  Fearadhach  ;  4,  Domhnall,  or  Donnell, 
the  father  of  Teige  Eeagh,  mentioned  in  the  settlement  of  1656,  to  be  presently  given; 
5,  Maolruanaidh ;  6,  Eoghan  ;   7,  John  Og. 

35.  Dathi,  or  David,  son  of  Tadhg  Riabhach  Oi'Duhhda He  was  slain  in  the  year 

1594,  under  which  he  is  styled  chief  of  his  name  by  the  Four  Masters.  "  A.  D.  1544. 
O'Dubhda  of  Tireragh  (Dathi,  son  of  Tadhg  Eiabhach,  son  of  Eoghan)  was  slain  by  one 
of  the  queen's  soldiers  in  one  of  his  own  castles  in  Tireragh  of  the  Moy." 

He  married  Miss  EUenor  Lyens,  afterwards  Lady  Ellenor  Ghest,  by  whom  he 
had  two  sons,  viz.,  Dathi,  or  David  O'Dubhda,  his  heir,  and  William  O'Dubhda. 
This  appears  from  an  inquisition  taken  at  Sligo  on  the  third  of  April,  1623,  preserved 
in  the  Rolls  Office,  Dublin,  which  finds  "  that  David  O'Dowde,  late  of  Castleconnor, 
Esq.,  deceased,  was  seised  of  that  castle  and  several  other  lands  ;  that  he  died,  leaving 
David  O'Dowde,  junior,  his  son  and  heir  ;  that  Ellenor  Lyens,  alias  Dowde  (now  Lady 
Ellenor  Ghest),  Avas  the  lawful  wife  of  the  said  David  O'DoAvde,  senior,  and  that  she 
is  dowable  of  the  one- third  of  all  his  lands  ;  that  after  the  death  of  the  said  David 
O'Dowde  she  married  three  several  husbands,  viz..  Sir  Lionell  Ghest,  Knight,  who 
died  ;  then  William  May,  Esq.,  who  also  died ;  and  after  his  death,  and  in  the  reign 
of  our  present  sovereign  Lord  [Charles  I.]  she  married  Gerald  Fitz-Morrice  Fitzgerald, 
who  is  now  [1633]  living." 

36.  Dathi,  or  David,  junior,  son  of  David  O'Dubhda — On  the  third  Patent  Eoll 
of  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of  King  James  I.,  there  is  enrolled  "  A  Grant  to  Lionel 
Geste,  or  Ghest,  of  the  wardship  of  David  O'Dowde,  son  and  heir  of  David  O'Dowde, 
late  of  Killinglass,  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  Gent.,  deceased,  for  the  fine  of  ten  pounds 
Irish,  and  an  annual  rent  of  seven  pounds,  retaining  five  pounds  thereof  for  his  (the 
ward's)  maintenance  and  education  in  the  English  religion  and  habits,  and  in  Trinity 

College,  Dublin,  from  the  twelfth  to  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age Dated  ist  Nov., 

1603." 

It  appears  that  when  this  David,  junior,  came  of  age,  in  161 2,  he  entered  upon 
and  took  possession  of  his  father's  lands  without  suing  out  livery  of  seisin  from  His 
Majesty,  which  the  law  then  required  to  make  his  title  good ;  upon  which  William 
Chapman  of  Rossleagh  made  a  discovery  of  same  unto  His  Majesty,  upon  which  His 
Majesty,  in  consideration  of  such  service,  as  was  then  the  custom,  by  his  letters  patent 
under  the  great  seal  of  England,  dated  the  first  day  of  December,  in  the  eleventh  year 
of  his  reign,  granted  unto  the  said  William  Chapman  "  the  benefitt  and  profitt  of  three 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  3  A  fourth 


362 

fourth  partes  of  all  Intrusions,  fynes  for  alienations,  mesne  profitts,  and  other  emolu- 
ments and  profitts  whatsoever  due  unto  His  Majestic  by  reason  of  any  warship  and 
primer  seisin,  ousterlemayne,  or  any  cause  whatsoever  uppon  any  mannors,  castles, 
lands,  and  tenements  of  David  O'Dowde  of  Killglasse,  in  the  coontee  of  Sligo,  Gent., 
by  reason  of  the  death  of  his  fFather,  or  any  other  of  his  ancestors,  or  of  any  lands  that 
is  found  by  office  that  David  O'Dowde,  father  unto  the  said  David,  died  seised  of." 

The  original  letters  patent  to  William  Chapman,  Esq.,  are  now  in  very  good  pre- 
servation, and  in  the  possession  of  the  O'Dowda  of  Bunnyconnellan.  On  the  third  day 
of  December,  161 3,  this  William  Chapman  sold  his  right  to  these  fines  to  William 
May,  of  Castleconnor,  Esq.,  who  was  young  David  O'Dowda's  step-father,  being,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  inquisition  already  quoted,  the  third  husband  of  his  mother,  Lady 
Ellenor  Ghest. 

From  an  original  deed  in  the  possession  of  the  present  O'Dowda,  it  appears  that 
this  David  O'Dowda,  of  Castleconnor,  Esq.,  was  married  to  Joan  Burke,  by  whom  he 
had, 

37.  James  O'Dowda — He  married  on  the  23rd  [effaced]  1632,  Evelyn  Burke, 
daughter  of  Walter  Burke,  of  Turlough,  Esq.,  as  appears  by  his  marriage  settlement, 
now  in  very  bad  preservation,  in  the  possession  of  the  present  O'Dowda.  This  James 
died  many  years  before  his  father.  He  was  living  in  1639,  as  appears  by  a  deed  in 
the  possession  of  the  present  O'Dowda,  dated  loth  April,  1639,  in  which  he  is  called 
James  Dowde,  of  Castleconnor,  Gentleman  ;  but  he  was  dead  in  1641,  as  appears  by 
another  deed,  dated  last  day  of  October,  1641,  whereby  his  father,  David  O'Dowda,  of 
Castleconnor,  Esq.,  enfeoffs  unto  Fearil  O'Garae  of  Moyh  [Moy  O'Gara,  in  Coolavin] 
and  Walter  Burke  of  Ardagh,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  Gentleman,  of  the  castle  of  Cas- 
tleconnor, and  three  quarters  of  land  thereunto  adjoining,  viz.,  the  quarter  of  Slievna- 
mesgiry,  the  quarter  of  Cloonalangy,  and  the  quarter  of  Ballinaleynagh,  in  the  barony 
of  Tireragh,  to  the  use  of  said  David  and  Jewane  Burke,  his  wife,  during  their  lives, 
and  after  the  death  of  the  said  David,  the  heirs  or  assigns  of  James  O'Dowda  (son  and 
heir  of  the  said  David,)  shall  pass  an  assurance  unto  the  said  Jewane  of  lands  to  the 
clear  yearly  value  of  forty  pounds  of  good,  fine,  pure  silver,  every  year  during  her  life. 
By  this  Evelyn  Burke,  James  O'Dowda  had  one  son,  namely, 

38.  Datld  Og,  or  David,  junior,  O'Dowda He  is  the  last  generation  given  by  Duald 

Mac  Firbis,  who  states  in  his  smaller  genealogical  compilation  that  he  was  living  in 
the  year  1666,  and  we  shall  see  presently  that  they  were  acquaintances.  He  mar- 
ried in  1656  Dorothy,  daughter  of  Teige  Reagh  O'Dowda  (son  of  Donnell,  son  of  Teige 
Reagh,  No.  34,  supra),  by  whom  he  got  a  considerable  fortune,  though  he  had  lost  all 
his  estate  during  the  civil  wars.     His  marriage  articles,  which  are  signed  by  the  Irish 

antiquary 


3^3 

antiquary  Duald  Mac  Firbis,  are  dated  the  lytli  of  April,  1656,  and  as  they  throw  a 
curious  light  upon  the  history  of  the  times,  they  are  given  here  word  for  word. 

"  Indented  Articles  of  Agreement  concluded,  covenanted,  and  agreed  upon  this  seventeenth 
Day  of  April,  Anno  Domini  One  Thousand  Six  Hundred  Fifty  and  Six,  by  and  be- 
tween David  Dowda  the  younger,  of  Castleconnor,  in  the  County  of  Sligo,  Gentleman, 
of  the  one  part,  and  Teig  Reagh  Qi'Dowd  of  Castletown,  of  the  said  County,  Gentleman, 
of  the  other  parte,  for  and  concerning  a  Marriage  to  be  had  and  solemnized  between 
the  said  David  and  Dorothy  Dowda,  Daughter  to  the  said  Teig. 

"  First,  it  is  agreed,  covenanted,  and  graunted  by  and  between  the  said  parties  that 
the  said  David  shall,  at  or  before  the  last  day  of  May  next  ensuing  the  date  hereof, 
wedd,  marry,  and  take  to  wife  the  said  Dorothy,  according  to  the  rites,  laws,  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  and  that  the  said  Dorothy  shall  accordingly  wedd, 
marry,  and  take  to  husband  the  said  David. 

"  Item,  it  is  covenanted,  and  agreed  upon  by  and  between  the  said  parties  that  the 
said  Teige  shall,  in  consideration  of  the  said  marriage,  give  and  satisfie  unto  the  said 
David,  as  marriage  portion  to  and  with  the  said  Dorothy,  the  number  of  cows, 
sheep,  cattle  following,  viz.,  fourty  great  cows,  to  be  milch  cows  next  summer, 
fifteen  heffers  of  two  years  old,  fifteen  yearling  heffers,  one  hundred  sheep,  one  horse, 
and  one  ploiigh.  Item,  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed  upon  by  and  between  the  said 
parties,  and  the  said  David  for  himself,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  to  and  with  the  said 
Teig,  his  executors  and  assigns,  in  consideration  of  the  said  marriage  and  marriage 
portion,  doth  covenant,  grant,  and  agree  to  be  and  stand  seised  and  possessed  of 
and  in  one  moyety  of  such  proportion  of  lands  and  tenements  as  he  the  said  David 
shall  recover,  and  that  shall  be  recovered,  in  the  right,  title,  and  interest  of  David 
O'Dowda,  grandfather  of  the  said  David  the  younger,  to  the  use  and  behoof  of  the  said 
David  the  younger,  and  of  the  said  Dorothy  and  the  longer  liver  of  them,  for  and 
during  their  or  either  of  their  natural  lives,  and  after  their  decease  to  the  use  of  the 
heirs  males  to  be  begotten  on  the  body  of  the  said  Dorothy  by  the  said  David  the 
younger  ;  and  for  the  securing,  making,  and  confirming  of  the  premises,  according  to 
the  true  meaning,  purport,  and  intent  of  these  presents,  the  said  David  Dowda  the 
younger  and  David  O'Dowda  the  elder,  and  either  of  them,  shall,  at  the  due  request 
of  the  said  Teig,  his  executors  or  assigns,  make  such  assurance  and  assurances,  by 
conveyance  or  otherwise,  in  writing,  as  by  the  said  Teig,  his  heirs,  executors,  or 
assigns,  or  his  and  their  council  learned  in  the  law  shall  be  devised  and  advised.  And 
the  said  David  the  younger,  for  himself,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  for  the  considerations 

0^2  aforesaid, 


3^4 

aforesaid,  to  and  with  the  said  Teig,  his  heirs,  executors,  and  assigns,  doth  covenant, 
grant,  and  agree  that  if  in  case  the  said  David  the  younger  shall  dye  having  issue 
female  by  the  said  Dorothy,  the  estate  whereof  the  said  David  shall  dye  seised  and 
possessed  shall  be  charged  with  a  sum  of  money  for  the  preferment  and  livelyhood  of 
such  issue  female  as  by  the  said  Teig  Reagh  Dowd,  Teibot  Burk  fitz  Walter  of  Tur- 
logh,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  Esq.,  and  Henry  Albonogh  of  Eathlee,  in  the  said  county 
of  Sligoe,  Gent.,  or  by  any  two  of  them,  or  by  the  heirs  of  any  two  of  them,  shall  be 
thought  fit  and  sett  down. 

"  And  that  the  said  David  the  younger  shall,  at  the  request  of  the  said  Teig,  his 
heirs,  executors,  or  assigns,  give  such  power  and  writing  to  the  said  Teig,  Tibott, 
and  Henery,  and  to  any  two  of  them,  and  the  heirs  of  any  two  of  them,  to  that  pur- 
pose, as  by  the  said  Teige,  his  heirs,  executors,  or  assigns,  or  his  or  their  counsil 
learned  in  the  law  shall  be  devised  and  advised.  Provided  there  be  no  issue  male  sur- 
viving the  said  David  the  younger  of  the  body  of  the  said  Dorothy. 

"  Item,  it  is  covenanted  and  agreed  upon  by  and  between  the  said  parties,  and  the 
said  David  the  younger  doth  covenant  and  graunt  for  himself,  his  executors  and  admi- 
nistrators, to  and  with  the  said  Teig,  his  executors  and  assigns,  for  the  considerations 
aforesaid,  that  if  in  case  the  estate  in  these  presents  mentioned  shall  not  be  recovered 
in  manner  as  is  above  expressed,  whereby  a  jointure  may  not  be  secured  for  the  said 
Dorothy  as  is  hereby  intended,  and  if  in  case  the  said  David  the  younger  shall  happen 
to  dye,  the  said  Dorothy  surviving  him,  that  then,  and  in  such  cases  the  said  Dorothy 
shall  be  satisfied  in  quantity  and  quality  the  said  marriage  portion,  and  a  moiety  of 
what  goods  over  and  above  the  said  marriage  portion  as  shall  be  then  in  the  possession 
of  the  said  David  the  younger  at  the  time  of  his  death.  And  it  is  further  covenanted 
and  agreed  upon  by  and  between  the  said  parties,  and  the  said  David  the  younger,  for 
himself,  his  heirs,  executors,  and  administrators,  to  and  with  the  said  Teig,  his  execu- 
tors and  assigns,  doth  covenant  and  graunt  for  the  considerations  aforesaid,  that 
whereas  the  said  Teig,  his  executors  and  assigns,  are  by  these  presents  graunted  to  have 
a  moiety  of  such  goods  as  should  be  in  the  possession  of  the  said  David  the  younger 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  case  he  shall  happen  to  survive  the  said  Dorothy,  having  no 
issue  by  her,  if  in  case  any  part  of  the  said  marriage  portion  shall  be  employed  or  dis- 
posed by  the  said  David  the  younger  in  recovering  his  estate,  whereby  the  marriage 
portion,  or  the  value  thereof  in  goods  shall  not  be  extant  at  the  time  of  the  death  of 
the  said  Dorothy,  as  is  last  mentioned,  without  issue,  that  then  and  in  such  case  the 
said  David  the  younger  shall,  out  of  such  parte  of  his  estate  as  shall  be  recovered  as 
aforesaid,  make  up  such  parte  of  the  said  moiety  as  shall  be  in  that  case  wanting,  and 
which  estate  shall  be  recovered  by  the  help  of  the  said  marriage  portion. 

"  Item, 


3^5 

"  Item,  it  is  covenanted  and  graunted  by  and  between  the  said  parties  that  in  case 
the  whole  real  estate  of  the  said  David  O'Dowda  the  elder,  and  of  the  said  David 
Dowd  the  younger,  shall  be  left  unto  them  or  some  of  them,  their  heirs  or  assigns,  or 
other  lands  in  lieu  of  them,  without  disallowance  in  respect  of  qualification,  that  then 
the  said  Dorothy  shall  have  for  her  jointure  but  the  third  parte  of  the  same,  any  thing 
in  these  presents  contained  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  In  witness  of  all  and  sin- 
gular the  premises  the  said  parties  have  to  these  presents  interchangeably  put  their 
hands  and  seals  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

Thady  Dowda. 
"  Being  present  at  the  signing,  sealing,  and  delivery 
of  the  abovewritten  articles,  and  at  the  inter- 
lineing  of  the  words  as  is  hereby  intended,  &c., 
twixt  the  59  and  60  lines,  we  whose  names 
duely  ensure. 
"  DuDLY  Ferbissy.  Myles  Ferbissy. 

Francis  Dowda.  James  Ferbissy." 

Daniel  Dowde. 

This  Dorothy,  who  became  the  wife  of  this  Dathi,  was  the  daughter  of  Teige 
O'Dowd  by  Margery  Bermingham,  daughter  of  John,  a  younger  son  of  the  Lord  Baron 
of  Athenry,  and  this  Margery  being  an  heiress,  the  O'Dowds  became,  as  would  appear 
from  the  family  papers,  entitled  to  quarter  the  Bermingham  or  Athenry  arms  with 
their  own,  but  this  they  have  not  done. 

It  appears  from  the  foregoing  marriage  articles  that  David  Dowda,  junior,  was  left 
without  any  estate,  but  that  he  had  a  strong  expectation  of  being  soon  restored,  and 
in  this  he  was  not  disappointed,  for  the  Commissioners  appointed  for  the  setting  out 
of  Lands  to  the  Irish  in  Connaught  and  the  County  of  Clare,  restored  him  in  August, 
1656,  to  a  small  estate  in  the  parish  of  Kilgarvan,  barony  of  Gallen,  and  coiinty  of 
Mayo,  the  ancient  patrimony  of  the  Clann  Donogh  O'Dubhda.  This  appears  from  the 
original  grant  in  the  possession  of  the  present  O'Dowda,  which  is  as  follows  : 

"  By  the  Commissioners  for  setting  out  lands  to  the  Irish  in  the  province  of  Con- 
naught  and  county  of  Clare. 

"•  In  consequence  of  the  Decree  of  the  Commissioners  for  adjudication  of  the  Claimes 
and  qualifications  of  the  Irish,  graunted  on  behalfe  of  David  O'Dowda,  of  Leafonye,  in 
the  county  of  Sligoe,  whereby  hee  is  adjudged  to  have  two  third  partes  of  his  estates 
by  virtue  of  the  right  qualification  wherein  he  is  compressed,  sett  out  to  him  in  the 
province  of  Connaght,  or  county  of  Clare  ;  it  is  ordered  and  heerby  impowered  to  enter 

into 


see 

into,  and  take  possession  of  one  thou  sand  five  hundred  and  forty-six  acres  in  the  land  here- 
after specified,  viz.,  in  the  two  quarters  of  Carowcrum  and  Carcacrum,  one  hundred 
and  thirty- two  acres ;  in  the  two  quarters  of  Boneconelan  two  hundred  and  seventy-six 
acres ;  Carrowlaban,  one  quarter,  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  acres  ;  Carrowreagh, 
one  quarter,  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  acres  ;  Kilnegarvan  one  hundred  and  fifty 
acres  ;  Raredane,  two  quarters,  two  hundred  and  ninety-seven  acres  ;  Carrownegloon- 
tagh,  one  quarter,  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  ;  Carrownecarra,  one  quarter,  one 
hundred  and  ninety- nine  acres  ;  and  in  Carrownegloch,  one  quarter,  ninety-five  acres ; 
all  lying  in  the  parish  of  Kilnegarvan,  barony  of  Galleng,  and  county  of  INIayo,  to  have 
and  to  hould  all  and  singular  the  said  lands,  with  all  the  houses,  buildings,  mills, 
fishing  weyres,  water  courses,  and  other  improvements  and  appurtenances,  to  him,  the 
said  David  O'Dowda,  his  heyres  and  assignes  for  ever,  in  full  satisfaction  of  his  estate, 
according  to  the  tenor  of  the  said  Decree  ;  and  the  High  Sherifi*  of  the  said  county,  or 
his  Deputye,  is  hereby  required  and  authorized  to  put  him  in  full  and  quiet  possession 
of  the  premises,  takinge  for  his  paynes  five  shillings,  and  no  more.  Dated  at  Logh- 
reagh,  this  4th  of  August,  1656. 

"  Henry  Greneway. 

Charles  Holcroft. 

Ja.  Cuffe. 
"  Entered  and  examined, 
Edw.  Hurd," 

This  David  had  by  Dorothy,  his  wife,  four  sons,  namely,  i,  David,  who  was  more 
than  seven  feet  tall,  was  an  ofiicer  in  the  service  of  King  James  H.,  and  was  slain  at 
the  battle  of  the  Boyne  ;  2,  James,  who  was  also  an  officer  in  King  James  II.'s  service, 
and  fought  at  the  Boyne,  which  he  survived,  and  distinguished  himself  at  the  siege  of 
Athlone  and  battle  of  Aughrim,  in  which  latter  engagement  he  was  slain ;  when  his 
body  was  discovered  his  sword  was  found  in  his  hand,  which  was  so  swollen  from  exer- 
tion that  the  guard  of  his  sword  had  to  be  filed  off  before  the  hand  could  be  disengaged 
from  it;  3,  Thady,  or  Teige,  Avho  was  an  officer  in  the  service  of  the  King  of  France,  and 
subsequently  admitted  to  the  honour  of  nobility  in  Venice,  and  who  died  of  a  fever  in 
France,  without  issue;  4,  Dominic  O'Dowda,  No.  39,  by  whom  the  line  was  continued; 
and  5,  Francis  Dowd,  who  left  no  issue.     See  Will  of  1731,  next  page. 

39.  Dominic  0'' Dowda,  fourth  son  of  David. — He  married,  in  1703,  Ellice  Dillon, 
daughter  of  Theobald  Dillon,  Esq.,  Avhose  brother  was  a  colonel  in  the  service  of  James 
n.,  and  died  in  1737,  leaving  by  her  David  O'Dowda,  his  eldest  son  (see  Lodge's 
Peerage  by  Archdall,  vol.  ii.  p.  182),  who  married  Letitia  Browne,  daughter  of  James 

Browne 


3^7 

Browne  of  Kilticolla,  afterwards  Brownehall,  in  the  county  of  Mayo,  Esq.,  and  died 
without  issue.  This  is  the  David  mentioned  by  the  venerable  Charles  O'Conor,  in  his 
dissertations  on  the  History  of  Ireland,  in  1753,  as  the  head  of  the  O'Dowds.  On  the 
6th  of  August,  1776,  he  and  his  wife  Letitia  O'Dowda,  otherwise  Browne,  obtained  a 
decree  in  Chancery  against  George  Fitzgerald,  Esq.,  of  Turlough,  in  the  county  of 
Mayo ;  2,  James,  an  officer  in  the  French  service,  who  died  without  issue ;  and, 
3,  Thady  O'Dowda,  a  colonel  in  the  army  of  the  Emperor  Joseph. 

His  Will  is  dated  i8th  September,  1731,  and  is  as  follows  : 

"  In  nomine  Dei.     Amen. 

"  I,  Dominic  O'Dowd,  of  Bunicunilane,  weak  and  feeble  of  body,  and  troubled  by 
many  distempers,  yet  of  sound  memorie,  sence,  and  reason,  the  Lord  be  praised,  un- 
derstanding my  later  days  to  approach,  and  fearing  lest  I  should  be  surprised  by 
death,  do  order  and  settle  my  last  Will  and  Testament  as  followeth  : 

"  Imprimis,  I  bequeath  my  soul  and  body  upon  my  Eedeemer,  and  my  body  to  be 
buried  in  my  ancestors'  Tomb,  in  Moyne,  if  allowed,  otherwise  where  my  relations 
will  think  fit. 

"  2ndly.  I  order  for  my  married  wife,  pursuant  to  the  articles  of  intermarriage,  the 
same  forty  pounds  sterling  per  annum  mentioned  in  said  articles. 

"  3rdly.  I  order  for  my  eldest  daughter  Molly  Dowd  three  hundred  pounds  ster- 
ling. 

"  4thly.  I  order  for  my  son  James  Dowd  two  hundred  pounds  sterling. 

"  5thly.  I  order  for  my  daughter  Evelin  Dowd  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling. 

"  6thly,  I  order  for  my  son  Thady  Dowd  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling. 

"  These  sums  I  order  to  be  paid  out  of  my  real  estate. 

"  7thly.  I  order  for  the  convent  of  Moyne  five  pounds  sterling,  and  also  for  the 
convent  of  Ardnaree  five  pounds  more,  and  lastly,  for  the  convent  of  Strade  two 
pounds  ten  shillings  sterling.  Further,  I  order  for  my  parish  priest,  father  David 
Henry,  the  sum  of  two  pounds  sterling,  and  to  fr.  Francis  Beolan  twenty  shillings. 

"  8thly.  I  order  for  my  niece  Molly  Dillon  ten  big  cows.  All  these  aforesaid  lega- 
cies I  order  to  be  deducted,  or  paid  out  of  the  personal  estate. 

"  9thly.  I  order  twenty  poiinds  sterling  to  be  paid  towards  my  funeral  expenses. 

"  Lastly.  I  do  nominate  and  appoint  Coll'.  Morgan  Vaughan,  Counsellor  Eichard 
Cormick,  and  Mr.  Toby  Burk  my  true  and  lawful  executors,  to  oversee  my  wife  and 
children,  and  this  my  last  will  and  testament  executed.  In  witness,  and  for  the  true 
performance  of  all  and  singular  the  premises,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  tliis 
the  eighteenth  of  September,  in  the  year  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-one. 

"  Memorandum. — I  do  order  and  bequeath  to  my  brother  Francis  Dowd  the  sum 

of 


368 

of  two  hundred  pounds  sterling,  together  with  three  years'  interest,  ending  the  first 
of  November  next,  which  sum  was  ordered  by  my  father,  David  O'Dowd,  and  by 
myself  as  child's  portion  for  him  ;  and  I  do  appoint  that  it  should  be  paid  out  of  my 
real  estate.  In  witness  and  for  the  true  performance  of  all  and  singular  the  premises, 
I  do  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  this  the  eighteenth  day  of  September,  1731, 
thirty-one. 

"Dominic  O'Dowd. 
"  Signed,  sealed,  and  delivered  in  presence  of  us, 
"  Henry  Jordan. 
Hugh  O'Donnell. 
Francis  Moore. 

"  A  true  copy." 

Of  David,  his  eldest  son,  the  venerable  Charles  O'Conor  of  Belanagare  wrote  the 
following  notice  in  the  first  edition  of  his  Dissertations  on  the  History  of  Ireland,  pub- 
lished in  1753,  pp.  234,  235  : 

"  The  Hy-Fiachras,  whose  great  ancestor  Dathy^  carried  the  Terror  of  the  Scotic 
Name  to  the  Foot  of  the  Alps,  possessed  the  Countries  of  Tir  Fiachra  and  Tir  Awly, 
from  the  fifth  Century  to  the  fifteenth.  Our  old  Annals  pay  a  large  Tribute  of  Praise 
to  this  family,  and  it  is  represented  at  present  by  a  Gentleman  of  the  strictest  Probity, 
David,  or  properly  Dathy  G'Dowda,  of  BaUycoUanan  {)-ectius  Bunny connellan],  in  the 
County  of  Mayo,  Esquire." 

40.  Thady,  Teige,  or  Thaddceiis  0''Dowda,  third  son  of  Dominic  OPDowda.  —  Sir 
Richard  Musgrave  states,  in  his  Memoirs  of  the  different  Eebellions  in  Ireland,  that 
this  "  Thady  being  a  younger  brother,  and  having  neither  property  nor  employment 
at  home,  went  out  a  volunteer  to  Germany  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  was  promoted,  in  the  Hungarian  service,  to  the  rank  of  captain  \^-ecte 
colonel],  having  previously  married  a  German  lady,  sister  to  the  Baron  Wipler  \_recte 
Vippler],  of  Avhom  James  O'Doude  was  the  issue." 

According  to  the  tradition  in  the  family  this  Thaddajus  O'Dowda,  who  was  called 
at  home  Tadhg  Kiabhach  O'Dubhda,  Avent  out  to  Germany  and  entered  the  Austrian 
service,  accompanied  by  Manus  O'Donnell,  who  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  general, 
and  also  by  George  Fitzgerald  of  Turlough,  the  father  of  the  celebrated  George  Eobert 
Fitzgerald.  That  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  Avas  one  of  the  largest 
and  bravest  men  in  Germany,  and  that  Antonia  Vippler,  the  sister  of  Baron  Vippler, 
residing  in  Silesia,  fell  in  love  with  him,  to  whom,  after  much  opposition  on  the  part  of 
her  family,  who  threw  many  difficulties  in  his  way,  and  even  procured  his  imprisonment, 

he 


3^9 

he  was  finally  married,  and  through  whom  he  was  introduced  to  the  highest  circles  in 
Germany.  By  her  he  had  issue  James  O'Dowda,  who  was  commonly  called  the  Baron 
O'Dowda,  of  whom  presently,  and  another  son,  who  died  young  in  Germany. 

41.  Captain  James  O'Dowda,  commonly  called  Baron  O'Dowda.  Sir  Richard 
Musgrave  states,  in  his  Memoirs  of  the  different  Rebellions  in  Ireland,  that  this  James 
O'Dowda  was  born  and  educated  in  the  Hungarian  service,  and  that  he  had  only 
arrived  at  the  rank  of  lieutenant,  "  in  which  station,"  he  adds,  "  he  served,  when  the 
death  of  his  uncle,  David  O'Doude,  who  possessed  the  family  estate,  and  died  without 
issue,  was  announced  to  him.  In  consequence  of  this  event,"  adds  this  historian,  "he 
left  the  army,  came  to  Ireland,  and  took  possession  of  the  paternal  property,  which 
proved  to  be  worth  about  £500  a  year,  and  which  he  applied  himself  to  the  cultivation 
of  with  great  attention." 

It  appears  from  the  family  papers,  and  particularly  from  a  letter  in  the  hand- 
writing of  his  uncle,  the  Baron  Vippler,  that  this  James  returned  to  Ireland  shortly 
before  the  year  1788.  In  the  will  of  Letitia  Browne,  alias  O'Dowda,  the  widow  of 
his  uncle  David  O'Dowda,  dated  loth  February,  1798,  she  states  "that  her  late  hus- 
band, David  O'Dowda,  lived  in  the  Isle  of  Man,"  and  she  orders  "  that  all  the  papers 
and  the  deeds  of  mortgage  respecting  Mac  Donnell  of  Elaghmore  shall  be  given  to 
Captain  O'Dowda,  whose  property  it  is,  together  with  the  copy  of  the  map  of  his 
estate,  and  all  other  papers  belonging  to  him."  Her  nephew,  James  Browne,  of 
Browne  Hall,  Esq.,  administered  to  this  will. 

In  the  statistical  account  of  the  parish  of  Kilmactige,  in  the  diocese  of  Achonry, 
and  county  of  Sligo,  written  by  the  Rev.  James  Nelligan,  Rector  and  Vicar,  and  pub- 
lished in  Mason's  Parochial  Survey,  vol.  ii.  pp.  349-398,  the  following  curious  account 
is  given  of  the  improvements  made  by  this  Captain  James  O'Dowda  : 

"  A  valuable  improvement  Avas  made  in  this  place  about  twenty  years  ago,  through 
the  exertions  of  a  Captain  O'Dowdd  [a  misprint  for  O'Dowda],  who  possessed  an  estate  pf 
many  thousand  acres  of  these  mountains,  which  were  withotit  inhabitants,  except  those 
'  ferse  naturae,'  and  which  were  nearly  impassable  to  the  active  and  barefooted  native. 
The  immense  rocks,  steep  hills,  and  deep  caverns,  which  everywhere  presented  them- 
selves, formed  as  many  insuperable  difficulties  as  the  passage  of  the  Alps  did  in  former 
days  ;  but  this  Hannibal  by  labour  and  perseverance  overcame  them  all,  and  has  now 
formed  a  road,  where  a  coach  passes  six  times  a  week,  conveying  passengers  to  and 
from  Ballina  and  Castlerea,  and  has  shortened  the  line  from  Ballina  to  Banada  from 
twenty  to  twelve  miles." 

This  Captain  James  O'Dowda,  who  is  said  to  have  been  the  godchild  of  the  Emperor 

Joseph,  was  implicated  in  the  rebellion  of  1798,  and  executed  at  Killala  in  Septem- 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.  12.  3  B  ber, 


370 

ber,  1798.  A  very  curious  sketch  of  his  character  is  given  by  Sir  Richard  Musgrave,  in 
his  Memoirs  of  the  different  Rebellions  in  Ireland,  vol.  ii.  pp.  622,  623,  624,  where  he 
says  that  "  considering  himself  the  head  of  the  Clan  or  family,  he  despised  taking  a 
Christian  name,  and  always  subscribed  himself  O'Doude,  Captain,  and  latterly  he  had 
the  vanity  to  assume  the  title  of  Baron,  perhaps  from  his  uncle  Baron  Wipler  in  Ger- 
many." Sir  Richard  says  that  this  family  counted  twenty-five  castles  on  their  extensive 
estate,  many  of  which  are  still  in  existence,  and  that  they  "  have  a  burying  place  ap- 
propriated to  them  in  the  abbey  of  Moyne,  where  may  be  seen  the  gigantick  bones 
of  some  of  them,  who  have  been  very  remarkable  for  their  great  stature,  as  one  of  them 
exceeded  seven  feet  in  height." — Vol.  ii.  p.  624. 

This  Captain  James  O'Dowda,  who  was  popularly  called  the  Baron  O'Dowda,  mar- 
ried Temperance  Fitz  Gerald,  daughter  of  Robert  Fitz  Gerald,  Esq.,  of  Mount  Tallant. 
This  marriage  took  place  in  the  year  1788  or  early  in  1789,  Avhen  he  was  very  young, 
as  appears  from  a  German  letter  in  the  handwriting  of  his  uncle,  the  Baron  Vippler, 
dated  Wigstadt,  the  2 1  st  November,  1788,  of  which  the  following  translation,  made 
for  the  Editor  by  that  accomplished  scholar,  George  Downes,  Esq.,  author  of  Letters 
from  Continental  Countries,  &c.  &c.,  is  worth  preserving  : 

"  My  dear  Nephew, 

"  I  was  infinitely  delighted  to  hear  that  of  six  letters  written  to  you 
one  had  come  to  hand,  and  no  less  that  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  admit  the  sincerity 
of  my  letter  :  you  may  now  quite  confidently  believe  that  no  one  can  have  more  sincere 
intentions  towards  you  than  I.  You  are  then  already  quite  determined  to  marry  ? 
To  tell  the  truth,  I  would  witness  it  with  more  pleasure  if  it  were  to  happen 
a  couple  of  years  later  ;  however,  you  are  not  to  be  checked ;  and  I  therefore  wish 
you  much  joy.  May  you  propitiously  take  this  so  great  step,  which  is  truly  of  the 
last  importance  !  for  every  thing  which  is  eternal  ought  to  be  undertaken  with 
caution ;  and  you,  my  good  nephew,  have  not  yet  had  the  opportunity  of  acquiring 
sufficient  experience  of  the  world.  Your  future  lot  will  therefore  so  much  the  more 
depend  on  fortune.  And,  dear  O'Dowda,  only  keep  religion  and  God  constantly  be- 
fore your  eyes  ;  for  such  must  be  always  kejit  in  view  by  an  honourable  man.  That 
you  have  become  so  good  a  manager,  I  am  infinitely  delighted  to  hear.  God  grant 
that  you  may  continue  in  this  course,  and  believe  that  the  best  enjoyment  is  one's  own 
approbation  !  You  can  take  myself  as  an  example.  How  much  have  good  friends  cost 
me,  and  how  little  has  been  purchased  ! 

"  That  you  have  received  no  letter  from  my  brother  must  not  surprise  you  :  you 
know  already  with  what  reluctance  he  writes.     Now  concerning  your  money.     To 

speak 


Z7^ 

speak  candidly,  it  is  better  for  you  not  to  be  informed.     If  you  did  not  get  the  money 
....  and  then  you  miist  [appear]  at  our  court  about  permission. 

"  Mac  Kernan  is  gone  on  an  expedition  against  the  Turks  :  it  is  about  two  months 
since  he  left  me,  but  I  have  not  yet  received  a  letter  from  him.  Do  not  forget  to 
assure  your  worthy  aunt  of  the  very  devoted  respect  I  entertain  for  her.  I  am  de- 
lighted that  you  ride  indefatigably  :  but  be  on  your  guard  to  avoid  meeting  with  an 
accident.     To  conclude, 

"  Your  sincere  uncle, 

"  Yours  from  his  heart, 

"  Wm.  Vippler." 

This  letter  proves  beyond  a  question  the  connexion  of  Captain  O'Dowda  with  the 
family  of  Vippler ;  but  nothing  has  been  yet  discovered  to  prove  that  he  became  the 
heir  of  that  family,  or  that  he  had  any  right  to  the  title  of  Baron.  The  following 
letter,  written  by  the  Honourable  Thomas  Dillon  to  him,  on  the  17  th  of  January, 
1795,  shows  that  a  relative  in  Germany  had  left  him  a  handsome  sum  of  money.  This 
relative  was  probably  his  uncle,  the  Baron  Vippler  : 

"  My  dear  Friend, 

"  It  gives  me  very  great  Pleasure  to  inform  you  that  I  had  a  Letter 
last  Post  from  Lord  Dillon,  desiring  I  would  send  to  you  to  give  you  the  pleasing  In- 
telligence of  the  following  matter,  which  I  give  you  down  in  his  Lordship's  Words. 

"  'Inform  O'Dowda  directly  that  there  is  a  handsome  Sum  of  Money  left  to  him 
by  a  Relation  in  Germany  ;  tell  him  to  write  immediately  to  Baron  Eeiyensfield,  Se- 
cretary to  the  Imperial  Minister,  No.  6,  Bryanton-street,  Portman-square,  London,  or 
to  Count  Starhemberg,  the  Imperial  Minister,  Portland-place,  London  ;  but  if  he  will 
take  my  Advice  he  will  set  out  directly  for  London.  Let  him  call  upon  me  ;  I  will 
give  him  a  letter  to  Count  Starhemberg,  and  that  will  shorten  all  proceedings ;  he 
may  otherwise  meet  with  great  delay.' 

"  Wishing  you  every  prosperity,  I  remain.  My  Dear  O'Dowda, 
"  Your  very  affectionate 

"  Humble  Servant, 

"  Thos.  Dillon. 
"■  Loughglin  House,  17  Jan.  179$. 

"  I  send  this  in  the  care  of  our  friend  Mr.  Hughes,  who  will  lose  no  time  in  for- 
warding it. 

"  O'Dowda,  Bunniconilan.'''' 

He  had  issue,  i,  Thaddseus  O'Dowda  of  Bunny connellan,   now  the  O'Dowda,  of 

o  B  2  whom 


11^ 

•whom  presently  ;  2,  James  Fiaclira  O'Dowda  of  Dublin,  solicitor,  wlio  married,  first, 
Anne,  daughter  of  William  Walker,  Recorder  of  Dublin,  and,  secondly,  Mary,  daughter 
of  Joseph  Burke  of  Carrowkeel,  county  of  Mayo,  Esq.,  but  had  no  issue  by  either,  and 
died  in  1843,  leaving  his  property  to  the  family  of  his  eldest  brother  the  O'Dowda  ; 
3,  Robert  O'Dowda,  now  an  advocate  in  the  supreme  court  of  Calcutta,  who  married, 
in  1828,  Catherine  Wilhelmina  Fulcher  of  the  city  of  London,  by  whom  he  has  issue 
four  sons,  viz.,  Robert  Charles,  James  William,  William  Hickey,  Henry  Cubitt,  and 
two  daughters,  Kate  Ellen,  and  Louisa  Kenny. 

Captain  O'Dowda  (No.  41)  had  also  two  daughters,  viz.,  Antonia  Letitia,  and  Tem- 
perance, spinsters,  now  living. — See  Exshaw's  Magazine,  January,  1790,  in  which  is 
the  following  entry  under  births  : — "  At  Mount  Tallant,  near  Dublin,  the  Lady  of 
Baron  O'Dowda,  of  a  daughter." 

42.  Thaddceus  O'Dowda,  Esq.,  son  of  Captain  James  O'Dowda.  He  married,  in 
1 81 2,  Ellen  White,  daughter  of  Charles  White  of  Dublin,  merchant,  and  has  the 
following  issue,  all  living  at  present :  Dr.  James  Vippler  O'Dowda,  a  practising  sur- 
geon in  Dublin;  2,  Thaddeeus  O'Dowda,  Junior,  who  is  six  feet  seven  inches  in 
height;  3,  John  TaafFe  O'Dowda;  4,  David;  5,  Robert  Francis  O'Dowda,  and  four 
daughters,  namely,  Ellen,  now  Mrs.  Kelly,  Caroline  Victoria,  Catherine  WiUielmina, 
and  Elizabeth.  He  had  also  another  son  Francis,  and  two  daughters,  Harriet  and 
Louisa,  who  died  young. 

Arms:  Or,  a  saltier  sable  ;  in  chief  two  swords  in  saltier ;  in  base  an  oak  leaf,  vert. 

Crest:  Over  a  coronet,  a  hand  in  armour  holding  a  dart,  ppr. 

Supporters:  Two  lions  rampant. 

Motto  :  Virtus  ipsa  suis  firmissima  nititur  armis. 

In  a  MS.  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  old,  the  arms  of  O'Dowde  are  described 
thus:  "or,  a  saltier  sable,  in  chief  two  swords  saltierways,  garnished  of  the  first."  No 
supporters  are  mentioned. 

The  oldest  seal  of  arms  in  the  possession  of  the  present  O'Dowda  belonged  to  the 
David  O'Dowda  mentioned  by  Charles  O'Conor,  in  1753,  as  the  head  of  the  family.  It 
exhibits  the  supporters  and  the  coronet  in  the  crest. 

B. 

Pedigree  of  O'Shaughnessy. 
Of  the  ancient  history  of  the  O'Shaughnessys — who  have  been  so  celebrated  in 

Ireland  since  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII the  Irish  annals  have  preserved  but  very  slight 

memorials.     Since  the  period  alluded  to  they  have  been  much  praised,  not  only  by  the 
Irish  bards,  but  by  the  more  respectable  writers  of  the  country,  and  they  had  un- 
doubtedly 


373 

doubtedly  held  high  rank  in  Connaught,  and  have  intermarried  with  the  best  fa- 
milies of  English  descent,  as  the  Burkes,  Berminghams,  Butlers,  &c.  It  appears 
from  a  by-law  of  the  Corporation  of  Galway,  passed  in  1648,  that  "  Lieutenant  Colonel 
William  O'Shaugnessie  (in  consideration  of  his  alliance  in  bloode  to  the  whole  towne, 
and  for  good  nature  and  affection  that  he  and  his  whole  family  doe  bear  to  it)  and  his 
posterity,  shall  be  hereafter  freemen  of  this  corporation." — History  of  Galicay,  p.  216. 
From  their  celebrity,  high  bearing,  and  character  for  integrity  and  honour  in 
Ireland,  De  Burgo  was  induced,  in  his  Hibernia  Dominicana,  to  write  of  this  family, 
"cujus  nobilitatem,  antiquitatem,  et  integritatem  qui  non  novit,  Hiberniam  non 
novit."  Notwithstanding  all  these  testimonies,  howeyer,  the  truth  of  history  obliges 
us  to  state  that  the  O'Shaughnessys  are  but  rarely  mentioned  in  ancient  Irish  history, 
and  that  no  person  of  the  name  ever  became  full  chief  of  Aidhne  or  the  south  Hy- 
Fiachrach,  the  O'Heynes,  O'Clerys,  or  Mac  Gillikellys  being  in  turn  the  chiefs  of  that 
territory ;  but  upon  the  decay  of  the  family  of  O'Cathail,  or  O'Cahill,  shortly  after 
the  period  of  the  English  invasion,  the  O'Shaughnessys  became  chiefs  of  the  territory 
of  Cinel  Aodha,  or  Kinelea,  which  comprised  the  south-eastern  half  of  the  territory  of 
Aidhne,  and  this  was  the  highest  rank  they  ever  attained  to. 

In  a  "  Description  of  the  Province  of  Connaught,"  dated  in  the  month  of  "  Janu- 
ary, 1 61 2,"  published  in  the  twenty- seventh  volume  of  the  Archseologia,  it  is  stated 
that  the  O'Heynes  were  then  utterly  banished;  but  that  "the  O'Shaughnesses  re- 
mayned  a  rich  and  hable  family." — p.  126. 

4.  Eochaidh  Breac.—He  was  the  third  son  of  the  monarch  Dathi,  according  to  the 
Book  of  Lecan,  but  we  are  told  no  more  about  him,  except  that  he  was  the  ancestor 
of  the  southern  Hy-Fiachrach,  or  the  Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne,  and  of  the  tribe  called 
Hy-Eathach  of  the  Moy,  seated  to  the  west  of  that  river,  in  the  barony  of  Tirawley, 
in  the  county  of  Mayo,  and  that  he  was  the  father  of, 

5.  Eogkan  Aidhne,  i.  e.  Owen,  or  Eugenius  of  the  territory  of  Aidhne,  now  com- 
prised in  the  diocese  of  Kilmacduagh,  in  the  south-west  of  the  county  of  Galway  ;  he 
was  so  called  from  his  having  been  fostered  in  that  territory  by  a  tribe  called  Oga 
Beathra,  who  afterwards  adopted  him  as  their  chief— Vide  supra,  p.  53.  He  had 
four  sons,  namely,  l,  Conall ;  2,  Cormac  ;  3,  Sedna ;  4,  Seanach  Ceanngamhna,  from 
whom  sprung  a  sept  called  Cinel  Cinngamhna,  of  whom  the  O'DuibhghioUas  were  the 
chiefs  after  the  establishment  of  surnames  in  the  eleventh  century. 

6.  Conall,  son  of  Eoghan  Aidhne.— Wq  are  told  nothing  about  him,  except  that  he 
had  one  son,  namely, 

7.  Goibhnenn He  was  chief  of  Hy-Fiachrach  Aidhne,  and  in  the  year  531  fought 

the  battle  of  Claonloch,  in  the  territory  of  Kinelea,  in  which  was  slain  Maine,  son  of 

Cerbhall, 


374 

Cerbhall,  wlaile  defending  tlie  hostages  of  the  Hy-Maine  of  Connaught— (Ann.  Four 
Mast.)     He  had  one  son, 

8.  Cobhthach. — He  had  three  sons,  namely,  i,  Aodh,  the  ancestor  of  the  tribe  called 
Cinel  Aodha  na  h-Echtghe,  of  whom  the  O'Cahills  and  O'Shaughnessys  were  the 
chiefs  after  the  establishment  of  surnames  ;  2,  Colmau,  the  father  of  the  celebrated 
Guaire  Aidhne,  King  of  Connaught,  and  ancestor  of  the  families  of  O'Clery,  O'Heyne, 
Mac  Giolla  Cheallaigh,  now  Kilkelly,  and  others  ;  3,  Conall,  the  great  grandfather  of 
St.  Colman,  patron  saint  of  Kilmacduagh,  whose  crozier  and  belt,  ornamented  with  gold 
and  gems,  was  in  the  possession  of  the  O'Shaughnessy  family  in  Colgan's  time  (1645). 

9.  Aodh,  son  of  Cobhthach— Oi  the  generations  from  this  Aodh  down  to  Gealbhuide 
(No.  27  in  the  Genealogical  Table)  our  annalists  have  preserved  no  notice. 

The  first  notice  of  this  family  which  occurs  in  the  Irish  annals  is  at  the  year  1 159, 
in  which  it  is  recorded  that  Gealbhuidhe,  the  son  of  Seachnasach,  was  slain  in  the 
memorable  battle  of  Ardee,  fought  between  Muircheartach  Mac  Loughlin.  head  of  the 
northern  Hy-Niall,  and  Roderic  O'Conor,  King  of  Connaught.  The  foUoAving  are  all 
the  notices  of  the  O'Shaughnessys,  O'Cahills,  and  their  territory  of  Cinel  Aodha,  or 
Kinelea,  preserved  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters  and  Clonmacnoise,  down  to  the 
year  1408. 

"  A.  D.  1 154.  Toirdhealbhach  O'Conor  [King  of  Ireland]  set  out  on  a  predatory 
excursion  into  Meath,  but  returned  without  a  single  cow,  his  son  Maelseachlainn  and 
Donnchadh  O'Cathail  [Donogh  O'Cahill],  lord  of  Cinel  Aodha  na  h-Echtghe  [Kine- 
lea of  Slieve  Aughty],  being  killed."— i^oi<r  Masters. 

"A.  D.  1 159.  Gealbhuidhe  O'Shaughnessy  [recte  Mac  Shaughnessy]  was  slain  in 
the  battle  of  Ath  Fhirdia." — Four  Masters. 

"A.  D.  1 1 70.  Diarmaid  O'Cuinn  [Dermot  O'Quin],  chief  of  Clann  liFernain  [in 
Thomond],  was  slain  by  the  Cinel  Aodha  of  Echtghe." — Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D.  1 191.  Cinel  Aodha  na  h-Echtghe  was  given  to  King  Eoderic  O'Conor."— 
Four  Masters. 

"A.  D.  1 197.  Maoileachlainn  Riabhach  O'Shaughnessy,  lord  of  half  the  territory 
of  Cinel  Aodha,  was  slain  by  the  son  of  Donnchadh  O'Cathail  [O'Cahill]."— i^OMr 
Masters. 

"A.  D.  1 22 1.  The  sons  of  Gillenenewe  macconn  [_rectc  Cromm]  O'Seaghnossa, 
took  house  upon  Gille  Mochoynne  O'Cahall,  prince  of  Kynelhagh,  who  killed  him  after 
his  coming  foorth." — Aim.  Clonmacnoise,  translated  by  Connell  Mageogliegan. 

"A.  D.  1222.  Giolla  Mochoine  O'Cathail,  lord  of  Cinel  Aodha,  East  and  West, 
was  slain  by  Seachnasach,  the  son  of  Giolla  na  Naomh  O'Shaughnessy,  at  the  instiga- 
tion of  his  own  people." — Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D. 


?>75 

"  A.  D.  1224.  Seachnasach,  the  son  of  GioUa  na  naomh  O'Sliaixglmessy,  was  slain 
by  the  Clann  Cuilen  [the  Mac  Namaras]  and  the  bachall  mor  [large  crozier]  of  St. 
Colman  of  Kilmacduagh,  was  profaned  by  this  deed." — Four  Masters. 

"A.  D.  1224.  Giolla  na  naomh  Crom  O'Shaughnessy,  lord  of  the  western  half  of 
Cinel  Aodha  na  h-Echtghe,  died." — Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D.  1240.  Hugh,  the  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh  Crom  O'Shanghnessy,  was  slain 
by  Conchobhar,  son  of  Aodh,  son  of  Cathal  Croibhdhearg  O'Conor  and  Fiachra 
O'Flynn." — Four  Masters. 

"A.  D.I  248.  Opichen  Guer  [Hopkin  Poer]  was  slain  by  Giolla  Mochoinne 
O'Cahill." — Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D.  1 25 1.  Giolla  Mochainne,  the  son  of  Giolla  Mochainne  O'Cahill,  was  slain 
by  Conchobhar,  the  son  of  Cathal  Croibhdhearg  O'Conor." — Four  Masters. 

"  A.  D.  1403.  Mortagh  Garve  O'Seaghnosy,  tanist  of  Tyre-Fiaghragh  Ayne,  was 
killed  by  those  of  Imaine." — Annals  ofClonmacrioise,  translated  by  Mageoghegan. 

"  A.!D.  1408.  John  Cam  O'Shaughnessy  was  slain  by  the  son  of  O'Loughlin,  in  a 
game  on  the  green  of  Clonrode." — Four  Masters. 

Seeing  from  these  extracts  (and  we  have  no  more),  that  it  is  now  impossible  to  add 
dates  to  the  pedigree  of  O'Shaughnessy  given  in  the  Genealogical  Table,  from  Aodh, 
the  ancestor  of  the  Cinel  Aodha,  down  to  Sir  Dermot,  who  was  knighted  in  1533  (No. 
36  in  the  Genealogical  Table),  we  must  be  content  with  illustrating  this  pedigree  from 
this  Sir  Dermot  down  to  the  last  acknowledged  representative  of  the  name,  and  adding 
a  few  observations  to  identify  the  present  senior  of  the  name. 

36.  Sir  Dermot  0"" Shauglmessy  was  the  son  of  William,  who  was  the  son  of  John 
Buidhe,  son  of  Eoghan,  son  of  William,  son  of  Giolla  na  naomh,  son  of  Euaidhri,  son  of 
Giolla  na  naomh  Crom,  lord  of  the  western  half  of  Kinelea,  who  died  in  1224,  son  of 
Raghnall,  or  Randal,  son  of  Gealbhuidhe,  who  was  slain  at  the  battle  of  Ardee  in  1 159, 
son  of  Seachnasach,  the  progenitor  after  whom  this  family  took  the  name  of  Ui  Seachna- 
saigh,  i.  e.  descendants  of  Seachnasach,  now  generally  anglicised  O'Shaughnessy,  and  pro- 
nounced in  the  original  territory  O'Shannessy,  and  by  some  corruptly  anglicised  Sandys. 

The  first  notice  of  this  chieftain  is  found  on  Patent  Eoll,  33-35,  Henry  VIIL, 
from  which  it  appears  that  the  king,  on  the  9th  of  July,  1533,  wrote  to  the  Lord  De- 
puty and  Council  of  Ireland,  saying,   "  We  have  made  the  Lord  of  Upper  Ossory, 

M<=Nemarrowe,  O'Shaftnes,  Denys  Grady  and Wise,  Knyghtes  ;  and  woU  that 

by  virtue  and  warraunt  hereof  youe  shall  make  out  unto  M'=Nemarrowe,  O'Shaftnes 
and  Denys  Grady,  several  patentes  of  all  soche  lands  as  they  nowe  have." 

By  Letters  Patent,  dated  3rd  December,  35  Henry  VIIL,  A.  D.  1543,  the  king 
granted  to  Sir  Dermot  Sheaghyn  [Sheaghynes],  knight,  captain  of  his  nation,  in  con- 
sideration 


376 

sideration  of  his  submission,  and  pursuant  to  the  king's  letter,  dated  the  9th  of  June 
preceding,  "  All  the  manors,  lordshipps,  towns  and  town-lands  of  Gortynchegory, 
Dromneyll,  Dellyncallan,  Ballyhide,  Monynean,  Ardgossan,  Ballyegyn,  Kapparell, 
Clonehaghe,  ToUenegan,  Lycknegarishe,  Crege,  Karrynges,  Tirrelagh,  Eathvilledowne, 
Ardmylowan,  one-third  part  of  Droneskenan  and  Rath  ;  the  moiety  of  Flyngeston, 
Ardvillegoghe,  Dromleballehue,  Cowle,  and  Beke,"  which  lands,  it  is  recited,  the  said 
Sir  Dermot  and  his  ancestors  had  unjustly  possessed  against  the  Crown,  to  hold  to  him 
and  his  heirs  male  in  capite,  by  the  service  of  one  Knight's  fee,  with  a  clause  of  for- 
feiture in  case  of  confederacy  against,  or  disturbance  to  the  Crown.  Inrolled  on  the 
Patent  Roll  of  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  Henry  VIII.  Dorso. 

This  Sir  Dermot  married  Mor  Pheacach,  i.  e.  More  the  Gaudy,  O'Brien,  who  died 
in  1569,  at  an  advanced  age.  Her  death  is  thus  recorded  in  the  Annals  of  the  Four 
Masters: — "  A.  D.  1569.  Mor  Pheacach  (daughter  of  Brian,  son  of  Tadhg,  son  of 
Toirdhealbhach,  son  of  Brian  of  the  Battle  of  Nenagh  O'Brian)  and  wife  ofO'Shaugh- 
nessy  (Diarmaid,  son  of  William,  son  of  John  Buidhe),  a  woman  celebrated  for  her 
beauty  and  munificence,  died.  By  Mor  Pheacach  he  had  two  sons,  namely,  Sir 
Roger,  his  successor,  and  Diarmaid,  or  Dermot  Reagh,  who  went  to  England  in  his 
youth,  and  became  servant  or  companion  to  the  Earl  of  Leicester,  as  will  presently  be 
made  appear  from  original  documents. 

37.  Sir  Roger,  son  of  Sir  Dermot. — This  Sir  Roger  was  generally  called  GioUa 
dubh,  anglice  Gilduif,  or  GillidufF,  i.  ejuvenis  niger,  by  the  Irish,  from  his  black  com- 
plexion and  the  colour  of  his  hair.  He  married  the  Lady  Honora  (daughter  of  Murrogh, 
first  Earl  of  Thomond)  who  had  been  a  professed  nun  and  an  abbess,  by  whom  he  had  four 
sons,  namely,  i,  John,  born  four  or  five  years  before  marriage,  as  were  also  two  daugh- 
ters, Joan  and  Margaret;  and,  2,  William;  3,  Fergananim;  and,  4,  Dermot,  who  were 
all  born  in  marriage.  Sir  Roger,  Avho  was  called  by  the  Irish  GioUa  dubh,  died  in  the 
year  1569,  as  we  learn  from  the  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,  in  which  the  following 
notice  of  his  death  is  given  : — "  A.  D.  1569.  O'Shaughnessy  (GioUa  dubh,  son  of  Diar- 
maid, Avho  was  son  of  William,  who  was  son  of  John  Buidhe),  pillar  of  support  to 
the  English  and  Irish  who  had  sought  his  assistance,  and  a  man  who,  though  not 
skilled  in  Latin  or  English,  had  been  greatly  valued  and  esteemed  by  the  English, 
died.     His  son  John  assumed  his  place." 

After  the  death  of  Sir  Roger,  his  brother,  Diarmaid  Riabhach,  anglice  Dermot 
Reagh,  or  Darby  the  Swarthy,  O'Shaughnessy,  who  had  been  servant  or  companion  to 
the  Earl  of  Leicester,  returned  to  Ireland,  having  first  procured  a  letter  from  Queen 
Ehzabeth  to  her  Deputy,  Sir  Henry  Sidney,  of  which  the  following  is  a  faithful  copy 
although,  by  some  unaccountable  mistake,  he  is  in  it  called  the  son  of  William. 

By 


"  By  the  Queene. 
"Elizabeth  E. 
"  Eight  trusty  and  Avelbeloved  Ave  grete  you  well.  Wher  one  Derby  O'Shaglines 
the  youngest  Sonne,  as  he  saith,  of  William  O'Shaghnes,  Lord  of  Kynally,  in  that  o"". 
Eealme  of  Ireland,  hath  by  the  meanes  of  his  Lord  and  Master,  o"".  Coosen,  the  Erie  of 
Leicester,  humbly  reqviired  us  not  onely  to  geve  him  leave  to  returne  into  his  contry, 
but  also  to  recomend  his  peticion  unto  yow  for  some  order  to  be  taken  with  hym  upon 
the  death  of  his  brother  named  Eoger  O'Shaghnes  as  being  next  heire  unto  him,  we 
being  duely  inforemed  of  his  honest  demeaner  here  and  of  his  earnest  desire  to  Serve 
us,  have  been  content  to  accompt  him  to  o""  Service,  and  do  require  yow  to  have  favor- 
able consideracion  of  his  sute,  and  as  you  shall  fynd  it  mete  to  place  and  settle  him  in 
the  foresaid  Contry,  so  the  rather  to  incurrage  him  to  persever  in  his  fidelitie,  to  shewe 
him  as  muche  favor  as  may  accord  with  the  good  goverment  of  the  same  Contry — 
Given  under  our  Signet  at  o"^  Mannor  of  Otelands,  the  xxiii""^  of  June,  1570,  in  the 
xii"^''  yere  of  our  Eeigne. 

"  To  d^  right  trusty  and  welbeloved  S''  Henry  Sidney, 
Kniyht,  of  0^  order  of  the  Garter,  and  Deputy  of 
our  Reahne  of  Irland.'''' 

It  is  very  extraordinary,  that  in  this  letter  Dermot  Eeagh  is  supposed  to  have  been 
the  son  of  William  O'Shaughnessy,  which  he  most  unquestionably  was  not,  for  we 
have  the  testimony  of  the  Irish  Annals,  and  of  his  cotemporaries,  that  he  was  the 
brother  of  Sir  Eoger,  as  he  states  himself,  and  as  such  he  was  not  the  son  but  the 
grandson  of  a  William  O'Shaughnessy,  for  Sir  Eoger  was  the  son  of  Sir  Dermot,  and 
grandson  of  William.  It  would  appear  from  the  following  entry  in  the  Annals  of  the 
Four  Masters  that  this  Derby  or  Dermot  was  made  chief  of  his  name  in  1571  : 

"  A.  D.  157 1.  John,  son  of  Gilla  dubh,  who  was  son  of  Diarmaid  O'Shaughnessy, 
who  had  been  the  O'Shaughnessy  from  the  time  of  the  death  of  his  father  until  this 
year,  was  deprived  of  that  title,  and  also  of  Gort  Insi  Guaire,  by  his  paternal  uncle 
Diarmaid  Eiabhach,  the  son  of  Diarmaid,  for  he  was  virtually  the  senior." 

This  Dermot  Eiabhach,  or  Eeagh,  as  we  are  informed  by  the  Four  Masters,  continued 
to  be  the  chief  of  the  O'Shaughnessy s  until  the  year  1573,  when  he  and  Ulick,  the  son  of 
Richard  Burke,  slew  Morogh  O'Brien  (the  son  of  Dermot,  who  was  son  ofMorogh),  in 
revenge  for  which  John  Burke  deprived  O'Shaughnessy  of  Gort  Inse  Guaire.  But  he 
held  considerable  sway  in  the  territory  till  the  year  1579,  Avhen  he  laid  a  snare  for  his 
nephew  William,  the  second  son  of  Sir  Eoger,  near  Ard  Maoldubhain,  on  Avhich  occa- 
sion a  fierce  combat  took  place  between  them,  in  which  he  slew  his  nephew,  but  though 
IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  3    C  lie 


378 

lie  did,  lie  received  sucli  deep  wounds  himself  tliat  lie  died  of  tlieni  in  less  than  an 
hour  afterwards. 

After  tlie  death  of  Dermot  Reagli,  John  O'Shanglinessy,  the  eldest  son  of  Sir  Roger, 
but  who  had  been  born  before  marriage,  was  again  set  up  as  the  O'Sliaughnessy,  but 
his  brother  Dermot,  who  having  been  himself  born  in  marriage,  looked  upon  John  as 
a  bastard,  made  strong  efforts  to  depose  him  ;  and  John  finding  that  the  laws  of  Eng- 
land were  in  favour  of  Dermot,  fortified  himself  against  him  by  conveying  all  the  lands 
in  O'Shaughnessy's  country  to  Sir  Geffrie  Fenton,  for  the  sole  consideration  of  Sir 
Geffrie  maintaining  his  title  against  Dermot,  who  continually  disturbed  him  in  his 
possession.  Both  appeared  at  the  parhament  convened  at  Dublin  in  the  year  1585, 
after  which  we  have  no  more  of  John,  or  any  of  his  descendants  ;  but  Sir  Dermot  ap- 
pears to  have  been  chief  of  his  name  till  his  death  in  1 606. 

The  following  abstract  of  Depositions  will  throw  much  light  upon  the  genealogy 
and  rank  of  the  O'Shaughnessy  family  at  this  period  : 

"  Abstract  of  Depositions  in  a  cause  in  the  Chancery  of 
Ireland,  wherein  Fulk  Comerford  was  Plaintiff,  and 
Roger  O'Shaghnes  of  Gort-Inchigorye,  in  Galway  Co., 
Defendant,  touching  the  town  and  lands  of  Cappa- 
fennell,  or  Capperell,  in  that  Co.  A.  D.  161 5. 

"  Donnell  O'Holloran  of  Gilloconry,  in  Galway  County,  husbandman,  deposed  that 
Sir  Roger  O'Shaghnes  was  son  and  heir  of  Sir  Dermott — that  Sir  Roger  was  married 
to  Honora  ny  Brien,  by  whom  he  had  four  sons:  i,  John^  born  about  four  or  five  years 
before  marriage,  as  were  also  two  daughters,  Joan  and  Margaret ;  and,  2,  William  ; 
3,  Fergananym ;  and,  4,  Dermott,  born  in  marriage — that  William  was  married,  but 
died  without  male  issue,  and  Fergananym  died  unmarried — that  John  O'Shaghnes 
conveyed  all  the  lands  in  O'Shaghnes'  Country  to  Sir  Geffrie  Fenton,  for  the  sole  con- 
sideration of  Sir  Geffrie  maintaining  the  title  of  John  against  Dermott — that  John  was 
continually  disturbed  in  his  possession  by  Dermott,  the  Defendant's  father — that  Der- 
mott, after  the  death  of  his  two  brothers,  and  in  the  life -time  of  John,  enjoyed  the 
greatest  part  of  the  lands  of  which  Sir  Roger  had  died  seised,  and  that  John  was 
always  reputed  to  be  a  bastard— that  Sir  Roger,  the  Defendant's  grandfather,  enjoyed 
these  lands  (viz.  Cappafennell)  and  had  tillage  there,  having  had  at  one  time  fourteen 
score  of  reapers  in  harvest  cutting,  of  whom  Deponent  was  one. 

"  Depositions  to  the  same  effect  were  made  by  the  following  persons,  viz.  : 

"Knougher  Crone  O'Hyne  of  Ledygane,  gent,  100  years  old  and  upAvards. 

"  Richard  Bourke  of  Rahaly,  in  Galway  county,  64  years  old  or  thereabouts,  who 

added 


379 

added,  that  he  had  seen  an  order  of  Council  made  by  Sir  Henry  Sydney  betAveen 
Dermott  and  William,  brother  and  son  of  Sir  Roger,  ordering  that  William  should 
enjoy  O'Shaghnes'  lands  to  him  and  his  heirs  male,  remainder  to  Dermott,  Sir  Roger's 
brother. 

"  Margaret  Countess  Dowager  of  Clanrickard,  80  years  old  and  upAvards,  sister  to 
Honora,  wife  of  Sir  Roger,  who  added  that  they  Avere  married  by  a  dispensation  from 
Rome. 

"  Manus  Ward  Dean  of  KilmackoAveth  [Kilmacduagh],  80  years  old  or  thereabouts, 
who  added  that  he  kneAv  of  the  controA'ersy  betAveen  Dermott  and  William  O'Shaghnes, 
as  above  mentioned,  wherein  Dermott  endeavoured  to  prove  Sir  Roger's  sons  bastards, 
because  their  mother  was  abbatissa  and  could  not  be  wife. 

"  Sir  Tirrelagh  O'Brien  of  DoAv^gh,  in  Clare  Co.,  Knt.,  nephew  of  Honora  ny  Brien. 

"  Donell  O'Heyne  of  Killaveragh,  freeholder,  aged  80  years. 

"  Richard  Lord  Brimigham,  Baron  of  Athenrye,  nephcAV  to  Sir  Roger  by  his 
mother. 

"  Tirlagh  Roe  M*^  Mahowne  of  Clare  county,  Esq.,  44  years  old,  who  added,  that 
he  knew  the  Defendant's  father,  Dermott,  to  have  been  in  suit  with  John  O'Shaghnes, 
and  to  have  held  Gort-Inshygory,  the  Newton,  and  Ardemoylenan,  during  John's  life- 
time, as  heir  of  the  body  of  Sir  Roger. 

"  Nehemias  Folan  of  BalladoAvgan,  in  Galway  county,  Esq.,  60  years  old,  who 
added  that  Dermott  Reogh  O'Shaghnes,  brother  to  Sir  Roger,  being  servant  to  the 
Earl  of  Leyster,  having  come  from  England  after  Sir  Roger's  death,  brought  in  ques- 
tion the  legitimacy  of  Sir  Roger's  sons  by  the  Lady  Honora,  at  Avhich  time,  during 
Sir  Henry  Sydney's  Government,  it  appeared  that  the  said  Honora  was  a  professed  nun 
when  the  said  Sir  Roger  had  the  said  John  by  her,  and  that  afterwards  a  dispensation 
Avas  procured  from  Rome  for  their  marriage." 

38.  Sir  Dermot  G'Shaughnessy^  the  fourth  son  of  Sir  Roger.  He  died  on  the 
eighth  of  July,  1 606,  seised  of  the  territory  of  Kinelea,  alias  O'Shaughnes's  coimtry, 
leaving  Roger,  otherAvise  called  Gilleduffe,  his  heir  (who  was  then  aged  tAventy- three  and 
married),  and  Shyly  Nyn  Hubert,  his  widow.  He  had  also  two  other  sons,  aqz.  Dathi 
and  William,  the  latter  of  Avhom  had  four  sons,  namely,  William,  Edmond,  Roger,  and 
Dermot,  of  Avhose  descendants  no  account  has  been  discovered.  This  Sir  Dermot  had 
also  three  daughters,  namely,  i,  Joan,  Avife  of  Sir  William  Burke,  Knight,  whoAvasby 
him  the  mother  of  Richard  Burke,  sixth  Earl  of  Clanrickard — (See  Hibernia  Domini- 
cana,  p.  277)  ;  2,  Julia,  the  Avife  of  Teige  O' Kelly  of  Gallagh  ;  and,  3,  Honora,  the 
wife  of  Johnock  Burke  of  Tidly. 

39.  Sir  Hoffer  OP Shaughnessy ^  son  and  heir  of  Sir  Dermot.     He  married  two  wives: 

3C2 


38o 

I,  Elis,  daughter  of Lynch,  by  whom  he  had  Sir  Dermot,  his  son  and  heir,  of 

whom  presently,  and  one  daughter,  who  married  Daniel  O'Donovan  of  Castle  Donovan, 
chief  of  Clancahill  in  the  county  of  Cork.  This  daughter  of  Sir  Eoger  is  not  mentioned 
in  any  pedigree  of  O'Shaughnessy  that  the  Editor  ever  saw,  but  she  is  mentioned  in 
Mons"".  Laine's  Pedigree  of  the  Count  Mac  Carthy,  and  in  the  family  papers  of  the  late 
General  Eichard  O'Donovan  of  Bawnlahan,  near  Castletownshend,  in  the  county  of  Cork, 
as  the  daughter  of  Sir  Roger  O'Shaughnessy,  Knight,  and  also  in  an  ode  addressed, 
in  1639,  to  her  husband  Daniel  O'Donovan,  by  Muldowny  O'Morrison,  in  which  he 
thus  praises  him  and  his  ivife  : 

"  Ua  t)onnabdin  na  n-oei^-beapc,  cuilliom  japma  a  jndc-oi^peacc, 
Cumje  ceapc  o'd  ppeiifi  poiitie,  a  ceacc  'pan  peim  piojpoiDe  ; 
Uaccapan  lapraip  muriian,  uppa  an  cipc  00  corujao, 
Plair  arhpa  o'dp  5-cpu  Cuipc-ne,  capla  an  clu  pet  a  comuipce. 
6uaD  n-oealBa  o'a  opeic  pop^'^'  F^a'P  '"S'on  1  Sheacnopaij, 
■Reioe  jan  cumga  g-cpoioe,  umla,  peile,  ip  poipnne. 
Pailm  copuio  00  rpeib  t)dici,  injion  peio-cpoioeac  T^uaiopi, 
Fuaip  aipje  na  n-glun  op'  cin,  aj  cnuc  le  h-oi6ble  an  oinij. 
Ceipcbuari  na  piojpaioe  poimpe,  rii  leij  uaice  ap  imipce, 
Cuj  ap  amm  ^huaipe  op  cm,  an  jaipm  ip  buaine  bpairpio. 
Pm  an  cpeab  op  cuipmeao  Sile,  buaiD  peile  ap  a  ppirh  line, 
t)a  coirhoe  aj  maicne  an  riiioo-oil:  poijne  aicme  eipeamoin." 
"  The  offspring  of  Donovan  of  the  good  deeds,  hereditary  deserver  of  dignity, 

A  worthy  representative  of  the  stock  he  sprung  from,  has  come  into  the  regal  suc- 
cession. 
Superintendent  of  the  west  of  Munster,  prop  for  supporting  justice. 
Illustrious  chieftain  of  our  Corcnian  blood,  under  whose  protection  our  fame  is  placed. 
The  palm  for  beauty  of  her  sedate  aspect  O'Shaughnessy's  daughter  has  obtained. 
Meekness  without  narrowness  of  heart,  humility,  generosity,  firmness. 
A  fruitful  pahn-tree  of  the  race  of  Dathi,  the  kind-hearted  daughter  of  Rory, 
Who  inherits  the  attributes  of  the  sires  she  sprung  from,  in  longing  to  indulge  the 

flame  of  hospitality. 
The  undying  character  of  the  kings  before  her  she  has  not  suffered  to  pass  away, 
But  has  reflected  on  the  name  of  Guaire  that  lasting  lustre  she  had  derived  from  him. 
The  race  from  whom  Sheela  has  descended  deserved  the  palm  for  hospitality. 
Of  which  the  drinkers  of  methegliu  boast :  they  are  the  choice  of  Heremon's  race." 

Sir  Roger  married,  2,  Julia,  the  daughter  of  Cormac  Mac  Carthy,  lord  of  Mus- 

kerry. 


38i 

kerry,  but  had  no  issue  by  her.  He  was  living  in  the  year  1647,  as  appears  by  a 
curious  letter  written  by  him  to  his  daughter  Gylles  in  that  year,  and  now  preserved 
at  Bawnlahan,  in  the  possession  of  Major  Powell,  who  succeeded  to  the  property  of  the 
late  General  O'Donovan  in  1832.     It  is  as  follows  : 

"  For  my  verie  loveinge  Daughter  Mrs.  Gyles  Donovane,  at  Castledonovane, 
theise. 

"  Daughter, 

"  I  have  received  yours  of  the  eighteenth  of  ffebruarie  last,  and  as  for 
your  troubles  you  must  be  patient  as  well  as  others,  and  for  my  parte  I  taste  enough 
of  that  fruite  ;  God  mend  it  amongst  all,  and  send  us  a  more  happie  tyme.  As  for 
the  partie  lately  comaunded  to  the  countree  of  Kiery,  who  may  be  expected  to  return 
that  Avay,  they  are  conducted  by  my  Nephew  (your  Cuossen)  Lieut.  CoUonell  William 
Bourke,  to  whom  I  have  written  by  the  bearer  in  your  behalfe.  I  am  most  Confident 
lie  will  not  suffer  any  wrong  to  be  don  unto  your  Dependants,  Tenants,  or  yourself. 
And  If  in  gase  [in  case]  you  should  expect  the  whole  Armey,  you  may  certifie  me  soe 
much  with  speed,  and  I  shall  take  that  Course  that  shal  be  befittinge.  In  the  meane 
tyme  beseeching  God  to  bless  and  keepe  you  and  yours, 

"  I  am, 
"  Youre  assured  loveing  ffather, 

"  R.  O'Shaghnissye. 
'■'■  Fedan,  i^.  Martii,  1647." 

The  arms  on  the  seal  of  this  letter  are  "  a  tower  crenelled  in  pale  between  two 
lions  combatant."     The  crest,  "  an  arm  embowed  holding  a  spear." 

This  Gylles,  who  was  living  in  May,  1676,  had  four  sons,  as  appears  from  the  O'Do- 
novan records,  namely;  i,  Daniel,  who  was  a  colonel  in  the  service  of  James  11.  and  who 
was  the  great  grandfather  of  the  late  General  O'Donovan  of  Bawnlahan ;  2,  Cornelius ; 
3,  Morogh;  and  4,  Richard,  all  living  in  1655,  but  of  whose  descendants  the  Editor 
has  not  as  yet  discovered  any  satisfactory  account,  but  believes  that  they  are  aU  extinct. 

According  to  the  pedigree  of  O'Shaughnessy  given  in  the  O'Clery  MS.  in  the 
Library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  this  Sir  Roger,  or  Gilla-dubh  O'Shaughnessy, 
died  in  the  year  1 650.  There  is  a  portrait  of  him  dressed  in  armour  preserved  among 
the  muniments  of  Ormond  Castle,  Kilkenny. 

40.  Sir  Derniot  0''Shanghnessi/. — He  married  Joan,  daughter  of  Lord  Barrymore, 
and  had  by  her  two  sons,  Roger,  his  successor,  and  Cormac,  or  Charles.  He  died  in 
1673. 

The  following  abstract  of  his  Will,  which  is  preserved  in  the  Prerogative  Court, 
Dublin,  is  well  worthy  of  a  place  here,  as  throwing  light  not  only  on  this  pedigree, 
but  upon  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  times  : 

Abstract 


382 


Abstract  of  Will  of  Sir  Dermot  0'' Shaughnessy  of  Gort-Inchigorey. 

"  I  order  my  bodie  to  be  buryed  in  the  Cathedral  Clmrch  of  Kill  M'^Duagh,  in  the 
tomb  where  my  ancestors  were  buryed — I  doe  order,  that  my  son  and  heir  shall  cause 
fyve  hundred  and  fower  shore  Masses  to  be  said  or  celebrated  for  my  soule  immediately 
after  my  death  ;  and  I  bequeath  £29  to  be  given  to  those  who  shall  without  delay 
celebrate  those  Masses,  allowing  is.  for  every  Masse  af"^,  and  that  each  of  the  abbye's 
and  convents  ment^,  hereafter  do  say  the  office  of  the  dead  for  my  soul  and  15  masses 

besides, I  order  100  of  my  Ewes  for  my  son  Cha^.  O' Shaughnessy,  and  bequeath  to 

my  eldest  son  and  heir  Eoger  O' Shaughnessy  all  my  plate  and  household  stuff,  and  I 
do  charge  my  said  sonnes  to  live  during  their  lives  in  brotherly  affection  amongst 
themselves  without  animosity  or  contention — I  bequeath  to  my  son  Charles  the  £20 
mortgage  I  have  from  /.  Prendergast,  of  the  60  acres  he  had  in  Ballinekelly,  provided 
he  shall  cause  200  masses  to  be  said  for  my  soule — I  order  and  leave  my  stuffe  suite  with 
gold  buttons  and  my  rapier  for  my  son  Charles — I  leave  the  piece  of  grey  frize  to  Edmond 
O'Heyne.  I  leave  the  piece  of  grey  broad-cloth  to  father  John  Mullowny,  he  sayings 
as  many  masses,  for  my  soule,  as  the  said  cloth  is  worth — I  leave  one  of  my  shirts  to 
John  Butler,  one  more  to  Edmond  Heyne,  one  more  to  my  servant  Lawrence  Dono- 
vane,  and  another  to  Edmond  M'Hugh — I  leave  one  of  my  best  halfe  shirts  and  my 
Scarlett  wastcoate  to  Dermott  Clorane — I  order  the  gold  diamond  ring  I  have  in  pawne 
from  James  Devenisse,  for  himselfe,  he  saying  one  hundred  rosaryes  for  my  soule — I 
leave  my  white  gowne  to  Lawrence  Donovan,  and  the  rest  of  all  my  clothes  to  my  son 
and  heir  Roger — I  leave  my  white  horse  to  my  daughter  in  law  Hellean  Shaughnessy, 
I  leave  three  young  cowes  and  three  great  cowes,  with  four  garrans,  to  my  daughter 
Gyles  Salean,  and  my  hatt  to  John  Buttler — I  order  my  son  Eoger  to  pay  Eight  pieces 
of  Eight  towards  James  Dowley  his  ransome — I  leave  two  cowes  and  a  mare  to  my 
neice  Nell  Donovan — In  Witness  of  all  which  I  have  hereunto  subscribed  my  hand  and 
fixed  my  seal  the  29th  of  January,  1671. 

"  Der.  O'Shaughnussy. 

"  The  Legacies  I  leave  for  my  soule  with  some  of  the  clergy,  viz To  the  Domi- 
nicans of  Gallway  20s.  To  the  Augustines  of  Galway  20s,  To  the  Convent  of  Inish 
20s.  To  the  Vicar  General,  ffa.  Michael  Lynch,  20s.  To  ffa.  Teige  O'Meere  20s,  To 
ffa.  John  Mullownee  305.  To  ffa.  Donogh  Nelly  los.  To  ffa.  Thomas  Kenny  10*. 
To  ffa.  John  Nelly  I05.  To  ffa.  Teige  Mac  Eory  los.  To  ffa.  Daniel  Conegan  10s. 
To  ffa.  Thomas  Grady  los.  To  ffa.  Breen  Donnellan  los.  To  ffa.  Donogh  Fahy  io«. 
To  ffa.  Daniel  Broder  5s.     To  John  Mac  Glynn,  lay-friar,   3s.     To  Thomas  Burke, 

lay-frier, 


3^3 

lay-frier,    5s.      MemorandiTm,    that   I   do   bequeath    to   my    son   and   heire,    Roger 

O'Shauglinessy  and  his  heirs,  the  £500  due  unto  me  from  my  lo.  Viscount  of  Clare. 

"D.  O'S. 
"  Being  present  at  the  signing  and  sealing  hereof, 

"  Ffr.  Jo.  Molouny. 

Lawrence  Donovane. 

Der.  Clorane. 

"  Proved — 8  Juli/  16^^,  by  his  son  Roger." 

41.  Eo^er  0''Shaughnessy,  Esq.,  the  sou  0/  Sir  Dermot — He  married,  in  1688, 
Helena,  the  daughter  of  Conor  Mac  Donogh  O'Brien  of  Ballynue,  by  whom  he  had 
one  son,  Colonel  William  O'Shaughnessy,  and  one  daughter,  Helena,  who  married  Theo- 
bald Butler,  and  was  the  mother  of  Francis,  John,  and  Theobald  Butler,  living  in  1784. 
Roger  joined  King  James's  forces,  and  was  engaged  at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne,  from 
which  he  returned  home  sick,  though  not  wounded,  and  died  in  the  castle  of  Gort  on 
the  nth  of  July,  1690.  His  property  was  declared  forfeited  on  the  nth  of  May, 
1697,  and  King  William  granted  all  his  estates,  in  custodiam,  to  Gustavus,  the  first 
Baron  Hamilton  ;  but  he  having  soon  after  obtained  a  grant  of  other  lands,  the  king, 
by  letters  patent,  dated  19th  June,  1697,  granted  to  Thomas  (afterwards  Sir  Thomas) 
Prendergast,  in  consideration  of  his  good  and  acceptable  services  (the  discovery  of  the 
assassination  plot,  &c.),  all  the  estate,  real  and  personal,  of  Roger  O'Shaughnessy,  Esq., 
deceased,  in  Gort-Inchigorie,  and  several  other  lands  in  the  barony  of  Kiltartan  and 
county  of  Galway.  By  a  subsequent  patent,  dated  20th  September,  1 698,  reciting 
the  foregoing  grant,  and  also  that  his  Majesty  was  informed  that  the  estates  were  then 
annually  worth  five  hundred  poimds,  but  that  they  had  since  proved  very  deficient  of 
that  sum  ;  and  it  being  the  real  intention  that  five  hundred  pounds  a  year  should  have 
been  granted,  several  other  lands  of  the  clear  yearly  value  of  £334  os.  2^d.,  situate  in 
the  several  counties  of  Tipperary,  Galway,  Roscommon,  and  Westmeath,  were  granted 
accordingly. — Rot.  Pat.  10  William  III. 

42.  Colonel  William  0' ShauglmessT/ — He  died  in  exile  in  France  in  1744,  Avithout 
issue. 

41.  Cormac,  or  Charles  O'Shaughnessy,  the  second  son  of  Sir  Dermot — The  Editor 
has  not  been  able  to  discover  the  name  of  his  wife,  but  it  appears  from  De  Burgo's 
Hibernia  Dominicana,  p.  505,  and  a  pedigree  compiled  by  Peter  Connell  in  1784,  for 
a  Cornet  Butler,  that  he  had  three  sons,  namely,  Colman  O'Shaughnessy,  Titular  Bishop 
of  Ossory;  Robuck,  or  Robert  O'Shaughnessy,  Esq.,  and  Joseph,  who  had  a  daughter 
Mary,  the  mother  of  a  Cornet  Butler,  who  was  living  in  1 784.  He  had  also  a  daughter 
Mary,  who,  according  to  Peter  Connell,  became  the  wife  of  Mortogh  Cam  Mac  Mahon,  Esq. 

After 


384 

After  the  death  of  his  cousin  german,  Colonel  William  O'Shaughnessy,  in  France,  in 
1 744,  Bishop  Colman  instituted  proceedings  at  law  against  Sir  Thomas  Prendergast, 
the  son  of  the  patentee,  for  the  recovery  of  the  estate  of  Gort,  and  these  proceedings 
were  continued  after  his  decease  in  September,':  748,  by  his  brother  Eobuck  O'Shaugh- 
nessy, Esq.  and  after  his  death  by  his  (Robuck's)  son,  Joseph  O'Shaughnessy,  Esq. 
living  in  the  time  of  De  Burgo,  1762,  who  has  the  following  curious  notice  of  this 
family : 

"  F.  CoLMANUS  O'Shaughnessy,  S.  Theologise  Magister,  Alumnus  Athenriensis 
Cgenobii,  oriundus  e  prseclarissima  Familia  de  Gort,  in  Galviensi  Agro  Conacice,  cujus 
Nobilitatem,  Antiquitatem,  et  Integritatem,  qui  non  novit,  Hiberniam  non  novit.  Lo- 
vanii  in  Ordinem  Fratrum  Prtedicatorum  ex  Officiali  Militari  Cooptatus,  ibidem 
Studia  confecit,  atque  docere  incepit  Anno  1706.  Missionibus  Apostolicis  Hihernke 
maturus,  eoque  profectus,  laudabiliter  se  gessit,  Sermone,  et  peculiar!  Morum  Candore, 
in  plurimis  Coiiacice  Eegionibus,  ingenti  cum  Animarum  Fructu  praedicans.  Die  30 
Aprilis  1726  in  Comitiis  Dublinii  celebratis  electus  fuit  Provincialis  in  locum  Stephani 
nostvi  Mac-E(jfan,  E^isco^i  tuTiG  Clonmacnoisensis,  nuperrime  laudati.  Anno  1736  a 
Clemente  XII.,  Pontifice  Maximo,  renunciatus  fuit.  Episcopus  Ossoriensis,  vulgo  Ossory, 
in  Lagenia,  sub  Metropoli  Dubliniensi  atque  Dublinii  in  Monialium  nostrarum  Aedibus 
Sacris  consecratus  a  D.  Joanne  Linegar,  ejusdem  Urbis  Archiprsesule,  assistentibus 
F.  Stephano  Mac-Egan,  mox  laudato,  Midensi,  et  F.  Michael  Mac-Donogh  Kilmorensi 
Episcopis,  ex  ordine  nostro,  ut  ex  nuper  dictis  liquet,  assumptis.  Anno  i744defuncto 
Patruele  suo,  Tribune  Gulielmo  0  Skagknussg,  in  Galliarum  Partibus,  quo  pater  ipsius 
Rogerius  Eegem  Jacobuni  secutus  fuerat  Anno  1691,  earn  ob  Causam  Castro  suo  AUo- 
diali  Gortensi,  amplissimisque  circumjacentibus  Praediis,  ultra  Summam  bis  Mille,  et 
quinquies  centum  Librarum  Sterlingarum,  id  est,  decies  Mille  Scutorum  Romanorum, 
aunuatim  valentibus,  privatus  a  Principe  Arausicano,  nuncupate  Gulielmo  III.,  qui 
eadem  concessit  Equiti  Thomce  Prendergast,  dvirante  duntaxat  Vita  laudatorum  Rogerii, 
etGulielmi  0-Shaghnussy ;  isto,  inquam,  Gulielmo  defuncto,  Colmanus  noster  0-Shagh- 
nessy,  etsi  jam  Episcopus,  Litem  inchoavit,  qua  Familise  suge  Primipilus,  Dublinii,  in 
Curia  Communium  Placitorum,  contra  tunc,  et  adhuc  existentem  Equitem  Thomam  pa- 
riter  Prendergast,  primo  dicti  filium,  ad  Bona  ilia  heereditaria  recuperanda ;  atque  Pr«- 
sule  nostro  e  vivis  sublato,  injure  successit  Germanus  ipsius  Frater,  i^oiocws  0-Shagh- 
nussg,  Armiger,  hujusque  nunc  succedit  Filius  Josephus  0-Shaghnussg,  Armiger.  Eques 
autem  Thomas  Prendergast  acriter  se  defendit,  non  quidem  Justitia  Causae  sua?,  sed 
Pecunia,  et  Potentia,  unus  quippe  est  e  Senatoribus  Regni  in  Parlamento  sedens,  in- 
superque  Regi  a  Sanctioribus  Consiliis,  ad  Differentiam  Domini  O'lShaghnussg,  qui 
Fidei  Catholicaj  est  Cultor,  suisque  h^reditariis  Bonis  exutus." — pp.  505,  506. 

42. 


3^5 

42.  Roebuck^  or  Robert,  son  of  Charles  G' Shaughnessy He  had  two  sons,  Joseph, 

who  died  in  1783,  and  William,  and  four  daughters,  Mary,  Catherine,  Ellice,  and 
Eleanor,  who  were  living  in  1784,  when  Peter  Connell  wrote  the  pedigree  for  a  Cornet 
Butler.  Tradition  states  that  this  Joseph  O'Shaughnessy,  assisted  by  his  relatives,  the 
gentry  of  the  county  of  Galway,  took  forcible  possession  of  the  mansion  house  of  Gort, 
on  which  occasion  they  caused  the  bells  of  Athenry  and  Galway  to  be  rung  for  joy. 
But  O'Shaughnessy  was  finally  defeated. 

In  Howard's  Treatise  on  the  Eules  and  Practice  of  the  Equity  side  of  the  Ex- 
chequer in  Ireland,  second  edition.  Appendix,  p.  903,  the  case  of  Smyth  against 
O'Shaughnessy  is  mentioned  as  one  of  great  importance.     Howard  says  : 

"  In  the  case  of  Smyth,  guardian  of  Prendergast  and  others,  against  0\Shaghnessy 
and  others,  in  the  court  of  Chancery  here,  in  October,  1760,  on  a  petition  to  the  lords 
commissioners  (the  Lord  Chancellor  being  then  in  England)  on  a  possessory  bill  and 
affidavits,  an  injunction  was  granted  to  the  sheriff  to  restore  the  plaintiff,  as  devisee 
of  the  estate  in  question,  to  the  possession  of  the  mansion-house,  out  of  which,  it  had 
been  sworn,  he  had  been  forced  by  the  defendant  CShaghnessy,  who  claimed  under 
some  old  dormant  title,  not  as  heir  at  law  ;  and  an  injunction  was  also  granted  to  the 
party,  as  to  the  demesne,  unless  cause  should  be  shewn  to  the  contrary,  in  the  time 
prescribed  by  the  order  ;  afterwards,  in  Michaelmas  term  following,  the  defendant  came 
to  shew  cause  against  the  injunction  to  the  party,  and  to  set  aside  the  injunction  to 
the  sheriff  upon  a  notice  for  that  purpose ;  but  as  to  the  first  point,  the  court  disal- 
lowed the  cause  ;  and  as  to  the  second  point,  the  court  refused  to  set  aside  the  injunc- 
tion, for  that  it  is  an  order  of  course,  and  usually  granted  at  the  first  instance,  as  the 
party  turned  out  of  his  place  of  residence,  and  may  not  have  a  place  to  go  to  ;  and  on 
these  motions  the  following  points  were  determined  : 

"  That  the  defendant  should  not  read  any  affidavits  to  contradict  the  facts  in  the 
plaintiff's  affidavits,  or  shew  any  other  cause  than  appeared  on  the  face  of  the  plain- 
tiff's affidavits,"  &c.  &c. 

On  this  occasion  it  is  said  that  the  Lord  Chancellor,  Mansfield,  lent  Sir  Thomas 
Prendergast  Smyth  eight  thousand  pounds  to  sustain  him  against  O'Shaughnessy,  which 
sum  was  charged  on  the  Gort  estate,  and  which  has  since  been  paid  to  the  heirs  of  Lord 
Mansfield. 

When  Joseph  O'Shaughnessy  had  taken  forcible  possession  of  the  mansion-house 
of  Gort,  the  whole  tribe  of  the  O'Shaughnessys  believed  that  he  had  defeated  Pren- 
dergast in  the  law  suit,  and  a  very  curious  song  of  exultation  was  composed  on  the 
occasion  by  a  poor  man  of  the  family,  named  James  O'Shaughnessy,  the  first  quatrain 
of  which  runs  as  follows  : 

IRISH  ARCH.  SOC.   12.  3D  "^^a'P 


386 

•'^uaip  na  gctbaio  nop  pdjaip-pe,  a  bile  ^an  locc, 
O  BuaiD  cu  an  Baipe,  ip  pedppoe  an  cine  cct  bocc, 
6eiD  luao  05  Dcinfi,  a'p  cpacc  aj  ollamnaib  ope, 
'S  6  uaiplib  pdil  ^eabaip  bdpp  clu  peile  'pet  n-^opc." 
"  May  est  tlioii  meet  neither  peril  nor  danger,  0  hero  without  fault, 
As  thou  hast  won  the  goal,  the  tribe  that  is  poor  will  be  the  better  of  it, 
The  poets  shall  spread  thy  fame,  and  the  ollaves  shall  speak  of  thee, 
And  from  the  nobles  of  Inisfail  thou  wilt  receive  at  Gort  the  palm  for  hospitality." 
This  Joseph,  the  last  claimant  of  the  Gort  estate,  died  without  issue  in  1783,  and 
there  is  no  one  now  living  that  has  yet  traced  his  pedigree  with  certainty  to  the  first 
Sir  Dermot,  who  was  knighted  by  Henry  YIII. ;  some  think  that  his  race  is  totally 
extinct  in  the  male  line;  but  Captain  Tyrrell  of  Kinvara  has  attempted  to  show  that 
Mr.  Bartholomew  O'Shaughnessy  of  Galway  is  now  the  head  of  the  name. 

Captain  Edward  Tyrrell  has  compiled  a  pedigree  of  the  O'Shaughnessys,  from  old 
documents  which  he  had  from  Martin  Colman  O'Shaughnessy  of  Galway,  in  which  he 
states  that  Colman,  Titular  Bishop  of  Ossory,  already  mentioned,  but  whom  he  in- 
correctly styles  Lord  Abbot  of  Cong,  had  several  brothers ;  namely,  Charles,  Darby, 
ancestor  of  the  O'Shaiighnessys  of  the  county  of  Limerick,  where  he  settled,  and 
Roger,  ancestor  of  Dean  O'Shaughnessy  of  Ennis,  and  of  Dr.  William  O'Shaughnessy 
of  Calcutta,  F.  E.  S.  Although  this  pedigree  is,  in  the  early  part,  full  of  errors  in 
dates  and  genealogical  facts,  still  there  appears  to  be  much  truth  contained  in  it  for 
the  last  five  generations,  and  the  Editor  is  tempted  to  give  that  portion  of  it  in  this 
place,  as  containing  the  researches  of  a  very  intelligent  old  gentleman  who  was  born 
in  O'Shaughnessy's  country,  and  who  is  now  nearly  a  century  old.  He  is,  however, 
entirely  wrong  in  making  Dr.  Colman  the  son  of  Sir  Eoger  11.  O'Shaughnessy,  for 
we  know  from  his  contemporary  De  Burgo,  already  quoted,  that  he  was  the  cousin 
german  of  Colonel  William  O'Shaughnessy  (son  of  Eoger,  son  of  Sir  Dermot  III.),  who 
died  in  France  in  1 744 ;  that  is,  he  was  the  eldest  son  of  Cormac,  or  Charles,  the 
second  son  of  Sir  Dermot,  mentioned  in  the  Will  of  167 1. 

The  Editor  is  of  opinion  that  all  the  descendants  of  Sir  Eoger  II.  O'Shaughnessy 
are  extinct  in  the  male  line,  and  that  the  O'Shaughnessys  of  Galway,  Limerick,  and 
Clare  are  descended  from  Lieut.-Colonel  William  O'Shaughnessy,  Avho  was  made  free 
of  the  corporation  of  Galway  in  1 648,  and  Avho  Avas  the  third  son  of  Sir  Dermot  II. 
This  William  had  four  sons,  namely,  William,  Edmond,  Dermot,  and  Euaidhri,  or  Eoger ; 
and  it  is  highly  probable,  though  not  yet  proved,  that  his  son  Dermot  is  t